Premier League - Chelsea confirm Deco signing

Eurosport - Tue, 01 Jul 12:28:00 2008

Chelsea have signed Portugal's Brazil-born playmaker Deco from Barcelona as Brazilian coach Luiz Felipe Scolari takes over.

FOOTBALL, Deco, Barcelona - 0

The talented playmaker had recently been told by the Catalan club he did not feature in their future plans and had been linked with a move to the Blues regularly in recent years.

And Chelsea confirmed the 30-year-old has agreed the move to Stamford Bridge, becoming the club's first signing since Scolari was appointed manager.

The west Londoners announced the news this evening and are expected to confirm they have paid £8million (11 million euros) to sign the two-time Champions League winner on a two-year deal.

The Brazil-born player's exit from the Nou Camp proved to be protracted due to the Catalans' valuation of around £11million for the player despite his age.

That price seemed to have deterred Inter Milan - who were also apparently interested - but Chelsea have managed to negotiate the price down.

Jose Mourinho, who coached him during their time at Porto, was linked with the diminutive schemer on numerous occasions during his Stamford Bridge tenure and was reportedly interested in signing him after taking over at Inter recently.

Deco's arrival is Chelsea's second signing of the summer after international team-mate Jose Bosingwa.

New coach Scolari starts work officially at Chelsea on Tuesday morning and will undoubtedly be happy with the club's transfer business so far.

Deco's arrival significantly boosts a midfield line-up already featuring the likes of Frank Lampard, Michael Ballack, Michael Essien, Mikel Jon Obi and Claude Makelele.

Indeed, Scolari will be faced with the task of persuading England midfielder Lampard to remain at the club.

Scolari will have a busy first week ahead of him before the players report back for pre-season training but Lampard's future will be a top priority.

The Brazilian has already been linked with a number of transfer targets, the latest of which is Real Madrid forward Robinho, but he has the unenviable task of persuading both defender Ricardo Carvalho and Lampard to remain as part of the Chelsea squad.

Lampard has one year remaining on his current contract and the holidaying midfielder seemingly refused to rule out a move to Inter Milan when quizzed over his future.

Scolari also looks as though he will lose defender Carvalho, another target for former Blues boss Mourinho at Inter.

Chelsea were planning to hold contract talks with the Portugal international, who has only just started a holiday because of his involvement in Euro 2008, but Brazilian defender Alcides says he is returning from a loan spell at PSV Eindhoven to replace him at Stamford Bridge.

Alcides has been on loan at the Dutch club for the last 18 months and said: "PSV wanted me to stay but I have learned that Chelsea want me back. It seems Carvalho is leaving and I am going to replace him."

Scolari's arrival at Stamford Bridge has been welcomed by former Chelsea manager Ruud Gullit.

The Dutch legend, who originally moved to Stamford Bridge as a player in 1995 before becoming player-manager a year later, is now in charge at Los Angeles Galaxy in the United States.

"He is the right choice at the moment," said Gullit. "I think he is a passionate coach, he does everything with the heart.

"He tries to win with good football, and he did that with the Brazilian national team and with Portugal, so he knows how to play."

The midfielder told Chelsea's official website: "It's good for me to be here and first of all, I'm very happy to be here.

"I'm sure I've come at the right time to do great things and be able to help Chelsea go back to the way it was, and come back to being number one, not only in England but also to win the Champions League which has been their dream for so long.

"The Premier League is a great league and it's getting better and you can see that with the Champions League Final, where you had two English teams.

"It's great that we have so many great players here at Chelsea and it's great that there is the competition which is healthy for everybody and this just makes the team better.

"To have great players in any position of the club just enhances the club.

"I know it's a new challenge but I'm looking forward to it.

"I know I need a little bit of time to adapt bit but I'm sure I will adapt quite well and quite fast and do my best for the team."

Reuters

Comment 61 - 80 of 80

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  1. To raziffhamsan
    Who can talk...you can!!!!!!
    Loooooong ball 2 CR7 who pelts his way in2 the area and jumps around in the area and slips over!
    without ronaldo you cant score.Because ronaldo can only take sir alex's naf tactixs
    hopefully ronaldo will leave and it seems likely coz of his previous rubbish all that poxy skill and his simple divin and gettin him self booked!
    Maybe rooney and carlitos can show wat they can do with out CR7
    and im bein honest utd good team
    good manager ply good footy
    hav good players
    now why if i can say that utd are good and u cant say chelsea are.
    From kyriacos

    From Kyriacos, on Wed 9 Jul 6:16PM

  2. Deco will add a bit more flair. But I still reckon we need some wingers who can go forward and pull back the ball. The likes of Duff or Robben, ex-Chelsea style, I guess. But Scolari will add players that are well worth watching and experienced at winning trophies. That's what Chelsea needs right now. Whoever the new addition is, the premiership will certainly provide another exciting season for Chelsea. COME ON U BLUES!!!!

    From John D, on Wed 2 Jul 3:34AM

  3. Deco can bring alot of potential to chelsea this season and with ronaldo leaving man u that will open up the premiership for other teams in the league to win it

    From roytwiggs, on Tue 1 Jul 7:11PM

  4. i don't think that scolari can make chelsea a better team next season

    From dan280480, on Tue 1 Jul 2:48PM

  5. for matthew1905 the only terry on chelsea youth, scholes, neville and giggs from man utd yours and they win champion league twice. what about terry miss penalty!!before you right check the fac ok...!!!

    From D7, on Tue 1 Jul 2:01PM

  6. To all the people that go on about Chelsea buying trophies:
    Look at your own teams. How many players do you have that are home-grown? At least we have a quality player in Chelsea and England captain John Terry. Look at Man Utd - what nationality is Ronaldo? How much did Rooney/Ferdinand/any other player cost? So I hardly think many other teams' fans can complain. When a team wins the Premiership with a team of players that were all brought up from their own youth system - THEN you can complain.

    From matthew1905, on Tue 1 Jul 12:13PM

  7. buyer beware ~ the "big" european performers are rarely much more than they were before the tournament. the big names of euro 04 didn't exactly set the night on fire, a player's club record is a much better indicator of what you're getting.

    From master shake, on Tue 1 Jul 11:53AM

  8. hahaha.......
    scolari will bring in his old portugese pals that need a zimmer to walk with let alone run,all you cfc fans dont get excited you will come 2nd to the best(if you can manage 2nd nxt season!!) you will win nothing lose the big playa's aka lampard haha,carvalio lol wont belong before terrys pushed out.so my msg to you is......pull ya head out the clouds abramovich sort the team out before its too late!!!!

    From caz.welch, on Tue 1 Jul 11:42AM

  9. FAO Shin...
    Get your FACTS correct before saying anything...
    John Terry was at his brther-in-laws and a few mates at a pub in Essex last nite

    From Steve L, on Tue 1 Jul 11:10AM

  10. IS CHELSEA FAST BECOMING A PORTUGUESE TEAM OR WHAT? ABRAMNOVICH BETTER WATCH IT BEFORE SCHOLARI AND HIS SCORES OF PURTUGUESE PLAYERS WILL SOON INHERENT UR SO-CALLED BILLION.Y DONT U(ABRAMNOVICH) WADE IN AND ENGAGE PLAYERS LIKE PAVLYCHENKOV,ASHAVIN AND CO.THIS IS MY CANDID ADVICE.

    From lndukweesq, on Tue 1 Jul 11:06AM

  11. decos lost his touch he will strugle in english football

    From tomregan32, on Tue 1 Jul 10:58AM

  12. IT'S CHELSEA FAST BECOMING A PORTUGUESE SIDE OR WHAT? ABRAMNOVICH WATCH IT COS SOON SCHOLARI AND HIS SCORES OF PORTUGUESE SIGNING MAY INHERENT UR BILLIONS. ABRAMNOVICH WHY DONT U WADE IN AND LET THEM SIGN THE LIKES OF PAVLYCHENKOV, ASHAVIN AND CO.

    From lndukweesq, on Tue 1 Jul 10:54AM

  13. you are most welcome Decco at Stamford bridge. That is your home we have been preparing for you.

    From kurtzsomaliland, on Tue 1 Jul 10:29AM

  14. Before Sven left the bitter blue Sh1t3, Frankie Sinwatra asked Sven his honest opinion on just how far they were from a Premier & Champions League winning side.

    About 5 miles Sven replied.

    That was just for you mcpluker.

    £19 Million on an average Joe, now who's trying to BUY the league, your just jealous cos you never win @#$% all.

    Sorry you won two games last season against the mighty reds, carrying on kn0br0t. you can win all the derby's you want, if that keeps you happy.

    we win titles.

    Ha Ha Ha Ha

    From grayzieuk, on Tue 1 Jul 10:21AM

  15. alexanderfarinelli .. another thing..deco sold for 8mil. alonso is valued at 16 mil. twice deco's price from barca. where exactly do you get your info from..?!?

    From yoon3ek, on Tue 1 Jul 10:11AM

  16. OHHHHH my gdnesss Deco cldnt help Barca achieve..wonder wot the management is up 2. Ayiro wa Kenya

    From ELIUD A, on Tue 1 Jul 9:02AM

  17. they already know lampard is going ha ha

    From delboy, on Tue 1 Jul 8:53AM

  18. CASH CASH CASH CHELSKI R ONLY DOING WHAT THE MUNICHS HAVE BEEN DOING 4 THE PAST 2 DECCADES BUY BUY BUY THE PREM N CUPS FFK SAKE ALL FORIGNERS THATS WHY ENGLAND TEAM R A BUNCH OF NO HOPERS LETS FACE IT IF RUSKI WALLET WASNT AT CHELSKI WOULD THEAY BE IN THE TOP HALF OF PREM ??? ALSO WHEN RONALDO GOES FROM MAN U WILL THEAY GET ANOTHER 42 GOAL GOAL GOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAL SCORER NEVA NEVA NEVA POSS BE DOWN TO ENDING 11th IN THE PREM

    From mcpluker, on Tue 1 Jul 8:43AM

  19. philipe scollari coming as a coach to chelsea to me is another example of a bad decision being made by abramovich.he can only make chelsea football more boring as he made brazil's even though he managed to win the world cup.as for winning any trophy for chelsea this season,forget it as they are in for season of near misses.

    From chillo man, on Tue 1 Jul 8:29AM

  20. Great... another player we can watch falling over and writhing his way to a free kick at Stamford Bridge. YAWN!

    From Ambloid, on Tue 1 Jul 8:04AM
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