Lionel Messi came close to signing with Chelsea thanks to Deco, but it was the Portuguese star’s involvement that collapsed the deal.
In 2014, Lionel Messi came closer than ever to leaving Barcelona. Behind the scenes, a surprising figure helped set the wheels in motion for what could have been one of the biggest transfers in football history.
Former Chelsea midfielder Deco, once a teammate and close friend of Messi, was central to the plan that nearly brought the Argentine to Stamford Bridge in a €250 million deal that ultimately fell apart before it could be completed.
Deco connected Lionel Messi with Jose Mourinho and Chelsea’s hierarchy
According to journalist Gianluca Di Marzio’s book Grand Hotel Calciomercato, Deco played a vital role in linking Lionel Messi’s camp with Chelsea’s leadership in early 2014.
The move came during Messi’s frustration over Spain’s tax investigation into his family — a period when he seriously considered leaving Barcelona for the first time.
Deco, who had spent two years at Chelsea under Roman Abramovich, reached out to his former manager, Jose Mourinho, to explore the possibility of a move.
The two arranged a meeting at Mourinho’s London home to discuss how to make the deal possible, a conversation that led to a now-famous FaceTime call between Messi and the Portuguese coach.
Messi was said to be captivated by Mourinho’s pitch. Di Marzio reported that Chelsea were ready to trigger his €250 million release clause and offer him £50 million per year in wages.
The discussions were advanced enough that club director Marina Granovskaia was preparing a formal contract proposal.
However, the secrecy of the talks became the deal’s undoing. When Messi’s father and agent Jorge learned about the negotiations — which had taken place without his involvement — he immediately shut down the move, reportedly furious that his son’s future had been discussed without family consent.
The move that collapsed before history was made
Chelsea’s management and intermediaries were reportedly confident the deal would be completed. Jose Mourinho, who believed Lionel Messi could redefine English football, was already envisioning him as the cornerstone of his team.
But with Jorge Messi’s intervention, the entire plan “burst like a soap bubble,” as Di Marzio described.
Deco’s involvement, while crucial in initiating contact, also contributed to the breakdown after word of the secret talks spread through mutual friends, including then-Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fàbregas.
Once the story reached Messi’s father, there was no way back. The Argentine quickly denied ever wanting to leave Barcelona, and the move was quietly abandoned.
In the end, Messi remained at Barcelona, renewing his contract soon after, while Chelsea turned their attention elsewhere.
For Deco, it was a reminder of how one of football’s greatest transfer sagas nearly unfolded — and how close he came to reuniting his former teammate with his old club.
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