Deco To Chelsea? What About Lamps?

Apparently Deco would like to play for Chelsea. At least that's what he told The Sun... Over, and over, and over again. In the same interview, the 29 year-old Barcelona midfielder provided all of the following statements. More accurately, he produced the following different versions of a single statement:

• "The Premier League is absolutely on par with La Liga- and playing there absolutely appeals to me."
• "The English league is a possibility and it would definitely be somewhere I'd like to play."
• "There's no doubt that you can compare Manchester United and Chelsea to Barcelona."
• "They are both huge clubs and playing for clubs like that would always be an attractive proposition."
• "The idea of working with Jose again appeals to me." (Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho was Deco's manager on the 2003-04 Champions League winning Porto side)

That's not an interview, but a contrived, articulate tantrum. In Deco's defense, however, I can kind of see why he felt the need to do this- this may his best opportunity to dictate the next chapter of his career. It has been widely rumored that Deco could be on his way out of the Nou Camp in the summer transfer window, with Newcastle United having been mentioned as one possible destination. Staying at Barcelona could be the worst-case scenario for Deco, as his diminishing role at the club, along with club management's desire to overhaul the 2006-07 side that collapsed in the final weeks of the La Liga season and failed to win any hardware, hardly combine to create an ideal situation.

With that said, a Deco-to-Chelsea deal would create a whole new series of questions:

• With Deco's arrival at Stamford Bridge, what is the status of Frank Lampard, whose fiancée just happens to be of Catalan decent, who is still awaiting a new long-term deal the likes of which was given to team captain John Terry?
• Would Deco be brought in to serve as a replacement for Michael Ballack, who has been a disappointment at Chelsea and may be a possible target for Real Madrid?
• Despite repeatedly expressing his desire to stay at Arsenal, could Deco's departure free up both money and a place in the team for Cesc Fabregas, Arsenal's all-world playmaker?

Deco has been a joy to watch at Barcelona and is undoubtedly one of the most gifted midfielders in the world. However, if he's not happy at Barcelona, both the club as well as his performance on the pitch are likely to suffer. Whether the potential shuffling of prominent midfielders opens the door for Fabregas joining former Arsenal teammate, Thierry Henry, at the Nou Camp remains to be seen- it is, without a doubt, a long shot. And while hope springs eternal for such a move, the more realistic scenario of a simple swap of attacking midfielders between Chelsea and Barcelona could benefit each club significantly.

Given their similarities in age and quality, Deco and Frank Lampard likely carry similar values on the open market, making a potential Deco-for-Lampard swap plausible, without either club having to shoulder a large financial burden. Also, Deco proclamation of his strong desire to play at Stamford Bridge creates the perfect resolution to Chelsea's problem of what to do with Lampard, who is in hot pursuit of a new, big-money deal.

Finally, we have Mr. Lampard's personal life. In this instance, he's not a millionaire footballer, but a guy who presumably does not want to de dumped by a woman he loves, and with whom he already has a family. Lampard’s fiancée, and the mother of his two daughters, Elen Rives, was recently rumored to have broken off the couple's engagement. What better enticement could he give her to reconcile than making the move to her homeland?

This may all be idle speculation that culminates in nothing except me looking like I may need to institutionalized. Who knows? But you must admit that it makes at least a little sense all the way around.