La Liga: Barcelona appoints Deco as new Sporting Director

La Liga champions, Barcelona have announced the appointment of former Portugal international Deco as the club’s new sporting director on a three-year deal.

The Portuguese icon has already been heavily involved in the club’s transfer activities this summer and had been operating in the position even though an official announcement had not been made.

Barcelona have now made the appointment of Deco as its Sporting Director official in a statement released on Wednesday, August 16.

The statement read;

“Barcelona and Anderson Luis de Souza “Deco” have reached an agreement regarding his joining the club. 

“The first team player between 2004 and 2008 signs a contract as sporting director at the club for the next three seasons. 

“Deco will be in charge of setting FC Barcelona’s sporting philosophy and putting together the squad with the coach and the coaching and becoming head of the football section. 

“This incorporation is in line with the statement released on 2 May in which the President and the director of the Football Area, Mateu Alemany, agreed his release from his duties once the current transfer window comes to an end on 2 September.

“As stated in the release Deco and Mateu Alemany will continue to work together until the closing of the transfer window. 

“In the coming weeks, the club will release details of the FC Barcelona sporting structure.” 

Deco first joined Barcelona from Benfica in 2004 and won La Liga twice and the Champions League in 2006 in four seasons at the club.

He then played two seasons for Chelsea before returning to Brazil and finishing his career with four seasons at Fluminense in Rio de Janeiro.

The appointment follows a reshuffle Barcelona announced in May. The team’s current Director of Football, Mateu Alemany, will leave the club when the transfer window closes.