DiarioSport says Deco instructed his agent, Jorge Mendes, at the end of last season to offer him to Chelsea after learning from coach Frank Rijkaard that his starting place at Barca could no longer be guaranteed.

But the deal fell through as Abramovich refused to pay the fee Barca were asking, along with the £4 million-a-year, tax fee, that Deco was demanding to move to Stamford Bridge.