LONDON: Chelsea are on the verge of signing Benfica`s Brazil defender Ramires on a four-year, 17 million pound deal, according to a report here on Tuesday.

The 23-year-old, who has 16 caps and played for his country in the World Cup, is scheduled to have a medical at the Premier League champions on Wednesday, the BBC said.

But the transfer has a complication in that Benfica have a 50 percent stake in the player with the other 50 percent owned by a British-based businessman.

To tie-up the deal Chelsea would have to come to an agreement to comply with Premier League regulations that outlaw the third-party ownership of players.

BDST: 2350 HRS, AUGUST 03, 2010