Barcelona has officially announced the appointment of former midfielder Deco as the club’s new Sporting Director.
Prior to this role, Deco had previously worked with Barcelona as a scout and agent, helping to sign players such as Raphinha.
According to Football Espana, Barcelona president Joan Laporta has confirmed that Deco will commence his new position with the reigning La Liga champions in mid-July.
Deco, who played a vital role for Barcelona in the mid-2000s after joining from Porto in 2004, was instrumental in the team’s UEFA Champions League triumph in 2006. He is also one of the few players to have won the prestigious tournament with two different clubs.
In his new role as Sporting Director, Deco is reportedly focused on bolstering the team’s right-back position.
With Jules Kounde no longer willing to fulfill those duties, Deco is actively working on bringing in a new player for the position.
Ivan Fresneda is mentioned as one potential option for Barcelona. The club is attracted to Fresneda’s qualities, and they believe they can negotiate a reduced transfer fee, possibly around €15 million.
In other news, Deco recently shared his insights on why Portugal fell short at the 2022 World Cup, highlighting the factors contributing to their disappointing campaign.
Having represented Portugal in 75 matches, Deco believes that if Lionel Messi had been a part of the team, the Selecao could have emerged as champions in the tournament.
Messi, the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner, played a pivotal role in leading Argentina to their third World Cup triumph in Qatar.