Chelsea legend Deco signs new Barcelona deal after months working with Matey Alemany in non-official capacity

Chelsea legend Deco has put pen to paper on an important new role with Catalan giants and former club FC Barcelona.

The 45-year-old has taken the role of Sporting Director in Barcelona and will set the club's 'sporting philosophy', as well as having a say on squad decisions as Head of Football.

The news comes months after current President and Director Matey Alemany agreed to step down from his position at the end of the summer transfer window on September 2. It had been confirmed that Deco would work with Alemany to that point in a non-official capacity and now the former midfielder is set to make the roles his own.

Alemany nearly left the club for a position at Aston Villa earlier this year, even jetting over to Birmingham, but made a U-turn on his decision to stay put in Spain.

In a statement released on Wednesday, Barcelona also promised to 'release details of the sporting structure' in the 'coming weeks' as change continues to reign supreme at the club.

Deco spent four years at Barcelona between 2004 and 2008, winning two La Liga titles and a Champions League, before moving to Chelsea on an £8 million transfer - the first of the Luiz Felipe Scolari era at Stamford Bridge.

The Portuguese star went on to play 58 times for Chelsea and won the Premier League, two FA Cups and a Community Shield in two years before moving to Fluminense in 2010.

Speaking after his new appointment with Barcelona, Deco said: “We have a spectacular squad, with young players, we have a future and we have a present, last year we won the league and we have to continue on this path and keep working.

“Coming back to this club is something beautiful for me, as a child I dreamed of playing here and I fulfilled my dream by being here as a player, I have been part of the club’s history and now I am returning with an important role, which is the sporting director.

“I know the size of this club and the work involved, but I am happy with the president’s project. From the beginning, I have been helping a lot from the outside and now I will do it officially on a day-to-day basis and that’s why I’m happy. Barça is a club that always generates work.”