Chelsea and Iceland international Eidur Gudjohnsen is aparently hours away from joining FC Barcelona.


The Clubs seem to have agreed on a transfer fee of €12 mill. with only the mode of payment to be sorted out between Chelsea and Barcelona, before the Iceland international can sign his new 3-years contract (with an additional 1-year option) for Barca. Latest reports suggest that Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho agreed to let Gudjohnsen go to Barcelona and opposed a move to Premiership rivals Manchester United.


A minor difference over payment has to be sorted out between Chelsea and Barcelona. Chelsea want to receive half of the transfer fee immediately, while the remaining half should be paid within 12 months. FC Barcelona is keen to stretch the payments in four annual instalments of € 3 mill. each year.


The conclusion of the transfer should be announced any time now.


With Gudjohnsen, Barca coach Frank Rijkaard will get his first choice player who he believes to be the perfect replacement for Swedish international Henrik Larsson. With the signing of Chelsea forward Gudjohnsen, Barca will end all speculation about their the interest in Villarreal and former Manchester United striker Diego Forlan who was the preferred choice of Barca´s technical director Txiki Begiristain.


Eidur Gudjohnsen became surplus to requirements at Stamford Bridge, once Chelsea signed Ukrainian Andriy Shevchenko from AC Milan for € 45 mill. but the 27-year-old Icelandic international might have difficulties in finding a place in Barca´s starting line-up facing a tough competition in star players like Ronaldinho, Samuel Eto'o, Lionel Messia and Ludovic Giuly.