"Everyone at Chelsea would like to thank Claude for the service he has given us," a Chelsea statement read.

"Claude has been a key part of our trophy success and we wish him well for the future. He will always be welcomed back to Stamford Bridge in the future either as a player or friend of the club."

The 35-year-old, who announced his international retirement last month, was aiming to end his career in his homeland, where he started his career at Nantes.

"I wanted this so much that Chelsea gave me the chance to finish my career in my own country. It's a very important challenge, I hope to enjoy it, and there's also my family," he added.

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New Deal for Cech

Petr Cech has pledged his future at Stamford Bridge after signing a new contract that will keep him with the Blues until 2013.

"It is an honor to be at a club like Chelsea and I am happy to have renewed my contract," he told Chelsea's official site.

"Chelsea has grown in my heart, not just because of my team-mates and all the people that work for the club but also because of their fantastic fans."

The 26-year-old joined Chelsea from Rennes in 2004 as he progressed to become one of the best in the world to stand between the sticks.

Cech managed to keep a superb 90 clean sheets during his four seasons at Stamford Bridge, which included two Premiership titles.