Gudjohnsen quits Chelsea for Barca
Barcelona have signed Eidur Gudjohnsen from Chelsea in an eight-million pound (10-million dollar) deal that will see the Iceland captain fill the gap created by Henrik Larsson's return to Sweden.
Gudjohnsen, 27, signed a four-year deal with the Champions League winners after passing a medical at the Nou Camp on Wednesday.
The forward had asked Chelsea to release him at the end of the season after playing only a fringe role in the London club's second consecutive triumph in the Premiership.
Gudjohnsen believes he will be able to hold down a regular place in the Barca team, despite having to compete with a galaxy of international stars including Brazil's Ronaldinho, Argentina star Lionel Messi and Cameroon's Samuel Eto'o.
He told Barcelona's official website: "I would like to express my happiness at joining one of the most prestigious clubs in the world.
"I now have to win the confidence of the coach and make it difficult for him to leave me out.
"There were other big clubs interested in me but when Barca show their interest, it is not possible to say no.
"I was at a big team before at Chelsea and everyone needed to be motivated to succeed and I have the same aim here.
"I have spoken to (Chelsea manager) Mr Mourinho but this was before my decision to join Barca. We had a discussion and we decided it was time to move on after six years."
The arrivals of Andriy Shevchenko, Salamon Kalou, Michael Ballack and John Obi Mikel had reduced Gudjohnsen's prospects of first-team football at Stamford Bridge and Jose Mourinho reluctantly sanctioned his sale.
A Chelsea spokesman confirmed the deal and added: "Chelsea thank Eidur for the wonderful service he has given us over the past six years, and the part he has played in our winning of trophies."
Despite initial interest from Manchester United, Barca were always favourites to sign Gudjohnsen and his arrival in Catalonia was hailed by club captain Carles Puyol, currently on World Cup duty with Spain in Germany.
"I have played against him and he is a great player," Puyol said. "He is very strong, fast, makes goals and can do very well for us.
"He is a player who can play in the centre of the field and attack."
Gudjohnsen's ability to operate as a deep-lying forward and his widely-recognised intelligence should make him a good replacement for Larsson, the hero of Barca's Champions League final win over Arsenal last month.
The Swedish striker has returned to his native Sweden to see out his remaining playing days with his hometown club, Helsingborg.
Gudjohnsen spent six seasons at Chelsea after joining from Bolton in 2000 in a deal worth four million pounds. He played 263 games for the Blues, scoring 78 goals and winning two league titles, the League Cup and a Community Shield.
Gianfranco Zola is the only overseas players to have made more appearances than him for Chelsea.
AFP
