Sidwell's up for the midfield challenge at Chelsea

He was arguably the hottest Bosman deal of the summer but once Chelsea declared an interest, eight club officials might as well have hung up and saved their breath.

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Sidwell insists he was right to leave Reading for Chelsea

Sidwell was not deterred by the daunting prospect of fighting for a place in midfield with Frank Lampard, Michael Ballack, Michael Essien and Claude Makelele.

Nor was he put off by the experience of England midfielder Scott Parker, who left Stamford Bridge for Newcastle after 18 months without making an impact on Jose Mourinho's team.

And he was not haunted by memories of his final days at Arsenal, when he abandoned hope of breaking into Arsene Wenger's plans and dropped out of the Premiership to join Reading, who were in the Championship in 2003

Instead, he had the guts to say "yes" to Chelsea manager Mourinho when others doubted the wisdom of the move.

Sidwell, 24, said: "There's been a lot of negativity about me joining Chelsea and it's disappointing when people out there, so-called friends, say: 'Well done, fantastic move but are you going to play?'

"All I can say to that is what the boss has said — I'm going to get a chance. It has not worked out for others before me — Scott Parker came and it didn't work out and he moved on — but I can't not come to Chelsea and finish my career saying: 'I could have played for them'.

"I'd rather come here, give it a go and if it doesn't work out I'll hold my hands up and say I wasn't good enough. At least I've got the bottle to do it."

Those close to Sidwell say he has matured greatly during the last couple of years, both as a footballer and as a person, and has incredible belief in his own ability.

And the former England Under 21 midfielder knows full international recognition is sure to follow if he can prove himself at Stamford Bridge.

He said: "If I don't get into a squad on a Saturday, I'll try even harder in training the next week. Competition is something I thrive on.

"I knew coming to Chelsea was going to be a big, big challenge but there's one thing I can guarantee — when people put challenges in front of me I'm not one to lie down.

"If I get knocked back — and I've had a lot of knock-backs in my career so far — I get up and I'm still fighting. This won't change me at all. This will make me stronger."

Wenger gave Sidwell the usual "prove-me-wrong" rejection patter but could not have foreseen such an impressive response from the midfielder who drove Reading to the Championship title and was voted best player outside the Premiership.

Sidwell said: "Mr Wenger was honest and up front and I've a lot of respect for him. He said I should go out and show people what I could do on the pitch.

"I had a great education at Arsenal and I wouldn't change that for the world. If I was a kid now I would still go there with the coaches and training they have.

"But if anyone had said when I left Arsenal that I'd be playing for Chelsea in four or five years I would have said that was very unlikely."

Sidwell, who will wear the No 9 shirt next season, has been bonding with his new team-mates at Chelsea's pre-season training camp in the United States.

He knows Ashley Cole from their days together at Arsenal and felt comfortable joining a squad with a respectable English influence.

Sidwell said: "For me, it's good to have that English core. It takes time for the foreign lads to adapt to those cold Tuesday nights whereas the English lads have grown up like that.

"They know how hard it is to become a professional footballer and once they've made it there's no taking that shirt away from them."