Gudjohnsen reveals Mourinho factor

Eidur Gudjohnsen has revealed how his desire to join Barcelona was inadvertently fuelled by Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho.

The 27-year-old forward left the Premiership title holders yesterday and signed a four-year deal with the European and Spanish champions.

Mourinho worked at Barcelona initially as a translator for then coach Bobby Robson in the 1990s, and as part of the coaching staff when Louis van Gaal took charge.

And it was the former Porto manager’s team talk before the epic Champions League encounter between Chelsea and Barcelona last season which heightened the Iceland international’s awareness of the stature of the Spanish club and its passionate fans.

“I have spoken to Mr Mourinho but this was before my decision to join Barca,” added the versatile Gudjohnsen, whose first-team opportunities at Stamford Bridge would have been further limited following the arrival of Michael Ballack and Andriy Shevchenko this summer.

“We had a discussion and we decided it was time to move on after six years.

“At the time, I did not talk about Barca but when we played against them, he did tell us about the passion the people had and he tried to make us understand what it means for the Catalonian people – it is the people’s club.”

Henrik Larsson’s departure from Barcelona this summer had left a void up front, which coach Frank Rijkaard was eager to fill before the start of the new season.

Despite the Sweden striker’s obvious talent, he was often a substitute for Barcelona, who boast the brilliant attacking trident of Ronaldinho, Samuel Eto’o and Ludovic Giuly.

Along with teenage sensation Lionel Messi, the Catalan side have a wealth of striking talent but Gudjohnsen is ready to force his way into the team.

He added: “I now have to win the confidence of the coach and make it difficult for him to leave me out. It is a great honour for me and I hope to make the supporters happy.

“There were other big clubs interested in me but when Barca show their interest, it is not possible to say no.

“I was at a big team before at Chelsea and everyone needed to be motivated to succeed and I have the same aim here.”