Barca agree deal to sign Gudjohnsen
MADRID, June 14 (Reuters) - Barcelona have reached an agreement to
sign Icelandic striker Eidur Gudjohnsen from Chelsea, the European
and Primera Liga champions said on Wednesday.
Barca said the Iceland international would sign a four-year deal
with the club after he passed a medical.
Gudjohnsen is set to cost the champions of Spain's Primera Liga
£8million.
The 27-year-old was likely to find his opportunities at Stamford
Bridge limited next season following the signings of Michael
Ballack and Andriy Shevchenko.
Although he has proven adaptable and capable of filling either a
forward or midfield role, the capture of the world-class pair
seemed set to push Gudjohnsen down the pecking order.
Gudjohnsen will depart after six years with Chelsea, who he joined
after impressing with Bolton, and he has made 263 appearances for
the two-time Premiership champions, scoring 78 goals.
He will join Barca as a like-for-like replacement for Henrik
Larsson, who has opted to return to his native Sweden to play for
Helsingborg.
The Icelander's arrival has gone down well with Barca captain
Carles Puyol, who believes the former Bolton man will add another
dimension to the European champions' attack.
Puyol, currently on Spain duty at the World Cup, said: `He is
strong, fast and scores goals. I have faced him and I know that he
is a very good player.
`He can do a very good job for us and his versatility is also a
bonus as he can play in the centre of the pitch as well as up
front.'
