Gudjohnsen off to Barcelona

MrJoeSoap

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/c/chelsea/5075394.stm

Barcelona agree Gudjohnsen deal

Barcelona have reached an agreement to sign Icelandic striker Eidur Gudjohnsen from Premiership champions Chelsea.

The Spanish giants announced the 27-year-old will finalise a four-year deal after undergoing a medical at the Nou Camp at 1200 BST.

It is thought the current La Liga champions will pay in the region of £8m for a player that cost Chelsea £4m six years ago.

Gudjohnsen has scored 86 goals in 263 Blues appearances.

Italian Gianfranco Zola is the only non-British player to have played more games for the club.

Andriy Shevchenko's £30m arrival had forced Gudjohnsen further down the Chelsea pecking order, while Barca were keen for a direct replacement for Henrik Larsson.

Barcelona, who clinched their second La Liga title in a row last month, have been on the trail of several strikers.

But their attempts to land Arsenal's Thierry Henry and Diego Forlan of Villarreal were thwarted.

Barcelona captain Carles Puyol welcomed the club's latest signing ahead of Spain's World Cup opener against Ukraine on Wednesday.

He told Mundo Deportivo newspaper: "I've played against him and he's a great player. He's fast, quick, scores goals and could be really good for us."

About time he left Chelsea, such a waste of talent. Wonder how he will fit in as Larsson's replacement, on the right of the front three.

Necronomicon

Yeah saw yesterday that they were close to a deal. Chelsea's loss imo, he's such a creative player and would be on my team ahead of Drogba any day. Hopefully he'll be successful in Barca.

Anam

A quality player,sad to see him go,i think he could form a great partnership up front with Shevchenko.

He will do well in la liga though,great signing for Barca imo although im not sure where he will fit in to the side.

PHB

Quality quality player, will do great for Barca I'm sure, just like Larsson.

Happy to see him leave Chelsea, I always felt he was out of place in that team, probably because he signed pre-Ambrovimich.

Now that he has left, who is there pre-Ambrovimich?

Necronomicon

Cudicini, Terry, Gallas that I can think of off the top of my head....

Anam

PHB wrote:

Quality quality player, will do great for Barca I'm sure, just like Larsson.

Happy to see him leave Chelsea, I always felt he was out of place in that team, probably because he signed pre-Ambrovimich.

Now that he has left, who is there pre-Ambrovimich?

Lampard,Gallas,Cudicini,Terry,C.Cole.although a few of those will be on the way out too i reckon.

PiE

Agree he's a good player, but this still rates as the most surprising transfer of the summer so far for me. Third/fourth choice Chelsea striker... I would have thought Barca would set their sights a little higher.

PHB

Just because a player can't make it at one top club, doens't mean they won't be world class at another club.

Pepe LeFrits

PiE wrote:

Agree he's a good player, but this still rates as the most surprising transfer of the summer so far for me. Third/fourth choice Chelsea striker... I would have thought Barca would set their sights a little higher.

That says more about Chelsea than Barca tbh.

Good signing, I wonder where he will fit in though. £8m seems quite a bit for a backup player.

growler

He has lost a lot of pace in the last 2 years, he was looking distinctly chubby at one point, his gambling problems had an effect on his form / relationship with JM... all added up to make him an unhappy camper.

Sad to see him go though.

eirebhoy

PiE wrote:

Agree he's a good player, but this still rates as the most surprising transfer of the summer so far for me. Third/fourth choice Chelsea striker... I would have thought Barca would set their sights a little higher.

They said they were looking for a Henrik Larsson. A top quality player who knows he will not play every game. That is exactly what was said and I'm sure they discussed it with Gudjohnsen. Not many better players than him would join Barca as backup for when Eto'o, Messi or Ronaldino are unavailable.

KdjaCL

Jose turned him into a "ball carrier" in midfield and will fit in perfectly in midfield or up front for Barca. Great signing but really only for them and how they play.


Bet he starts 1st game hes fit for


kdjac

Zapp Brannigan

KdjaC wrote:

Jose turned him into a "ball carrier" in midfield and will fit in perfectly in midfield or up front for Barca. Great signing but really only for them and how they play.


Bet he starts 1st game hes fit for


kdjac

I really can't see Rijkaard starting Gudjohnsen over Messi or Eto'o. I reckon he'll be used from the bench, exactly how they used Larsson.

KdjaCL

Slurms wrote:

I really can't see Rijkaard starting Gudjohnsen over Messi or Eto'o. I reckon he'll be used from the bench, exactly how they used Larsson.

Hes not going to play up front. He will be part of the other 3 behind those atm Deco Xavi and V Bommel the latter being dropped or replaced by Gudjohnson.

Good move for him, he will play and do a good job, think all Chelsea fans will be sad to see him go.


kdjac

Zapp Brannigan

Hmm he'll have problems there aswell though. Because Iniesta seems to be breaking into the 1st team now.

MisterAnarchy

He is a strange acquisition for Barcelona.
I'd thought they would have tried to sign a better finisher than Gudjohnsen.

mchurl

Good signing for Barca imo, he is a top quality player and im sure Rijkaard explained to him exactly what his role will be, i.e. back up to Messi, Ronaldinho and Eto'o. His type of play will be suited to La Liga as the game over there is slower and more technical, and he was one of the most techinically gifted players in the PL.

Attractive Nun

My my, Barcelona are quietly building up a beast of a team. Ronaldinho, Eto'o, Messi and now Gudjohnsen up front (or in midfield). Xavi, Deco, Van Bommel, Iniesta, Edmilson, Motta all competing for the midfield roles. Puyol and Marquez as centre backs. A better keeper and some fullbacks (although I do like Van Bronkhourst) and they will be looking amazing.

Looking at the team, Gudjohnsen is a great signing. A quality player who is a worthy replacement up front if any of the front three get injured as well as a player who can drop back into midfield. I reckon he'll suit the club as well - great move for him I'd say, although a shame for the Premiership.

Lemlin

Chelsea don't need him. I've always thought he was a tad over rated TBH but he did have a great partnership with Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink a few seasons ago.

I am surprised Chelsea sold him to Barca though because the two are such great rivals. Chelsea are building up quite the beast of a team themselves, in Shevchenko and Ballack they now have two of the world's best known players.

Kenyon was brought there to attract players like that and that is what he and Arnesen are doing. Roberto Carlos could be next, although I still think his signing is purely for commercial reasons, he's well past his best.

PHB

TBH, I'm hoping that Shev and Ballack are past their best, hoping hoping hoping

I'm gona pretend for this moment in time that their preformances in their last world cup matches are a reflection of their ability, let's hope :P

besty

Great move for Eidur and Barca IMO. I think £8m is a fair price, as he was wasted on the Chelsea bench.

eirebhoy

KdjaC wrote:

Hes not going to play up front. He will be part of the other 3 behind those atm Deco Xavi and V Bommel the latter being dropped or replaced by Gudjohnson.

He's a replacement for Larsson (ie. if Larsson stayed they wouldn't have signed him) so should be backup to the forward players.

iregk

Gudjohnson is a great player. Technically one of the best in the prem and could dribble around 4 players in a phone box. The only problem with him is consistency. He plays one great game out of every 5 and even at times he is great for 20mins and nowhere for the rest.

if he could improve his consistency then he would be one seriously class act.

KdjaCL

eirebhoy wrote:

He's a replacement for Larsson (ie. if Larsson stayed they wouldn't have signed him) so should be backup to the forward players.

Barca only play 3 up front in some games mainly home ones. Eidur has proved he can play in midfield as a ball carrier, its only the english media reporting this transfer as a replacemtn for Larsson. Spanish press reckon they signing David Villa



kdjac

Zapp Brannigan

KdjaC wrote:

Barca only play 3 up front in some games mainly home ones. Eidur has proved he can play in midfield as a ball carrier, its only the english media reporting this transfer as a replacemtn for Larsson. Spanish press reckon they signing David Villa



kdjac

It's also Eidur aswell. Linky

KdjaCL

Slurms wrote:

It's also Eidur aswell. Linky

Thats Sky Sports website, spanish lad in work was on Spanish website where its reported hes an addition to the squad to play as AMF and SS when needed.

They still looking for a CF so if that means Etoo leaving or not is unknown.


kdjac

Zapp Brannigan

KdjaC wrote:

Thats Sky Sports website, spanish lad in work was on Spanish website where its reported hes an addition to the squad to play as AMF and SS when needed.

They still looking for a CF so if that means Etoo leaving or not is unknown.


kdjac

lol, obviously a Pro Evo player!

I hope Barca dont buy Villa or Torres, cos I wanna see one of them at Liverpool although it's never gonna happen, and also they'd be very formidable.