Deco 'to join Scolari's Chelsea'

Barcelona midfielder Deco will join his Portugal boss Luiz Felipe Scolari at Chelsea, BBC Sport understands.

Reports in Portugal that Deco had met with Blues owner Roman Abramovich on Thursday were denied by the player in Spanish newspaper El Mundo Deportivo.

But Mike Sewell, BBC Five Live's man with the Portugal squad, said sources were tipping him to move to Chelsea.

"They believe Deco will go with Scolari rather than join up with old boss Jose Mourinho at Inter Milan," he said.

Barca confirmed recently that Deco was free to talk to other teams. Scolari takes over at Stamford Bridge on 1 July after overseeing Portugal's Euro 2008 campaign.

The Brazil-born star joined Barcelona from Porto in 2004 after helping the Portuguese side win the Uefa Cup, Champions League and domestic league titles under Mourinho.

He won two league championships with the Catalan giants, and was part of the team that beat Arsenal in the Champions League final in Paris in 2006.

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However, a series of injuries have hampered his season, and he made just 14 starts in Barcelona's La Liga campaign.

Sewell added that Deco had left the Portugal camp on Thursday after being granted 24 hours' leave by Scolari.

"He flew to Barcelona to sort out a personal matter, believed to be the finalising of his divorce," he said.

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