OFFICIAL: Deco to Chelsea

Chelsea has announced yesterday the transfer of Barcelona midfielder and Portuguese international Deco (30):

"Chelsea Football Club is delighted to confirm the signing of Deco from FC Barcelona. The Portuguese midfielder becomes our first signing under Luiz Felipe Scolari since the Brazilian's appointment as manager on June 11."

In a first reaction to his new club's official media, Deco showed his happiness and motivation: "It is good for me to be here and first of all I am very happy to be here. I am sure I have 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 the first one, not only in England but also to win the Champions League that has been their dream for so long.

I always speak with my team mates when we are together with the national team and they have always told me how great Chelsea is and how great it is to play for this team. But the interest for me came about before we were in the Euros, I said to them that's great for you and Chelsea must be a great place to work with and obviously now I am very happy to be here."


Barcelona confirmed the news on its official website adding that Deco has signed a three-year contract with the English club and that Barcelona receives a 10 million euro° transfer fee for the player: "FC Barcelona and Chelsea FC have agreed the transfer of Anderson Luis de Souza, Deco, to the London side for €10 million. After four seasons at FC Barcelona, Deco has now moved on to English football Deco, who will be 31 next 27 August, has signed a contract that ties him to the Premier League outfit for three seasons."

Deco came to Barcelona in the summer of 2004, arriving from Portuguese champions and Champions League winners Porto. In four seasons with Barcelona he won two Spanish league titles in 2005 and 2006, two Spanish super cups in 2005 and 2006 and one Champions League in 2006.

pep's opinion:
transfer price is too low, certainly after the his good performance at the euro, but apparently they agreed before the tournament that he could leave for 10 million euro. in his first two years he has really been a key player in the team, he kept that midfield running. after that it there were injuries and a lack of motivation although he kept showing his class like in this year's cl semi's. it was over at barcelona, but i'm quite sure this season you'll hear every now and then people say "tonight we missed a player like deco". will be interesting to see how he will do in the premier league and how chelsea will perform with a real playmaker. thanks and good luck to him.

Read the whole Deco transfer story from the first rumours until the signature