Chelsea land £8m Barca ace
DECO SIGNS THE BLUES
PORTUGUESE playmaker Deco is a Chelsea player after he signed in an £8million deal from Barcelona.
The west London club confirmed the 30-year-old has agreed the move to Stamford Bridge on Monday night.
The 30-year-old is the Blues' first signing since Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari was appointed manager and is expected to confirm 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.
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 and will undoubtedly be happy with the club’s transfer business so far.
Priority
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.”
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