Midfielder on Chelsea efforts to sign him – Blues outbid Barcelona in attempt to secure his signature

Former Chelsea midfielder Deco has revealed he could have joined the club long before he arrived at Stamford Bridge in 2008.

The Portuguese midfielder signed for the Blues in a £9m deal from Barcelona in 2008 and went on to make 58 appearances for the club in two years.

While he didn’t quite hit the individual heights he’d managed earlier his career, his time at Chelsea was still a success, with him winning the Premier League, two FA Cups and the Community Shield during his time with the club.

Deco missed out on a reunion with manager José Mourinho at Stamford Bridge, the Portuguese boss having left a year earlier.

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However, the midfielder has revealed they could have continued the relationship they’d forged during their time at Porto,with Mourinho pushing to sign him for Chelsea when he moved to the club in 2004.

“When Mourinho went to Chelsea in 2004, he wanted to take me,” he told AS.

“Chelsea offered between 30 and 35 million and Barça only 21. I told Jorge Mendes that for what Barcelona was paying, Pinto da Costa would not let me go.

“I spoke with the president, and I told him I knew there was an offer from Barcelona and also what Chelsea was offering.

“‘You are going where you want. I promised, and I will keep it,’ he said. That story affected me a lot because it says a lot about the person.”