Deco: Julián Alvarez is a thing of the past, and Mourinho doesn't worry us

Barcelona's sporting director Deco has addressed several issues concerning the Catalan club's fans during his participation in the Portuguese Football Summit organized by the Portuguese Football Federation.

Deco spoke about Barcelona's interest in signing Lautaro Martínez: "I think Lautaro is primarily an icon for Inter, and therefore we have great respect for that. He is a wonderful player, an exceptional player, and he is an icon of Inter and the team captain. Out of respect for the player and the club, when they informed us at that moment that he was not available, we did not try or speak to him after that. We are trying to do things in a very correct and clear way. Sometimes there are no speculations in the press, but it is true that at one point, among the forwards we were looking for who we thought could be suitable players for Barcelona, Lautaro was one of them. But at the moment our president spoke with the heads of Inter and they said he was not for sale, and out of respect, he was not discussed again, and we did not enter into any further contact with the player or his agent. But it is true that he is a player we liked and still like, and I personally like him a lot."

Diko discussed how the Rodri deal was completed, emphasizing: "First and foremost, I think we have rekindled the players' desire to come to Barcelona. This is very important for us. Over the last three years... we have won, and I believe all the players who see Barcelona playing football want to enjoy it and wish to join the club. It becomes easier when you go to the market and talk about Barcelona, talk about our project, and talk about the players we currently have. When players see what we are doing, I think it becomes easier to convince them to come to us. In Rodri's case, it was different because everything was at Manchester City. They helped Rodri leave because that was his wish."

Regarding Barcelona's signing of Gabriel Jesus, Deco said: "Gabriel Jesus is a top-class player. He wasn't playing many matches with Arsenal. Sometimes when you change the place, you get a new motivation, a new club, and new teammates, and that is important for Gabriel, and we are happy to have him with us. I believe the two signings came from different situations."

Regarding the connection of Gigi Gabriel, the jewel of Manchester United, with FC Barcelona after his visit to the club, Deco was clear in his stance, stating: "No, there is nothing to say about this player. It is always common for some players to be linked with us, and there are significant interests behind that. Even if they are young, we are not interested in any player. As for his situation, I am not sure what happened. I don't know. He is still a player at Manchester United. I don't know. This is something we are not involved in, because above all, we need to understand all the circumstances before trying to do something or talking about young players and teenagers."

Barcelona's sporting director addressed the deployment of Raphinha in the central striker position, stating: "Last season we talked about this with Hansi, and one of his ideas was to try to rely on a number 9 striker. We didn't know exactly what would happen, as it is different even for the player himself; he is used to playing as a second striker or as a winger. When we decided to make a tactical change for Antony Gordon, we knew that both he and Karim needed to play. The idea was to find another position for him, perhaps as a number 10 or number 9. We are happy that we discovered a new side of Raphinha. But the most important thing is that he is happy too. Playing in this role is different; sometimes he doesn't touch the ball constantly, unlike playing as a winger where the ball is with you most of the time, thus the dynamics change. He has to be ready to attack behind the defenders. We didn't expect him to perform at this level, or at least not in this way, but his quality is exceptional and very high, and that's why I believe he can play in this position."

Regarding the failed transfer of Julián Alvarez, Deco clarified: "Julián's story is not related to Raphinha's story. This season, one player left for me, and he is a different number 9, the best number 9, which is Robert Lewandowski. Robert gave everything for FC Barcelona, and we won titles, but there was a moment for change, and he also needed that. The idea was always to sign a striker with movement and linking ability, and Julián was one of those players. It wasn't possible; we made an offer. The club always said it wouldn't sell him, and we had to look for other solutions. Gabriel Jesus was not part of the plans because we didn't know his situation, as there was a lot of talk about the possibility of renewing his contract. At the moment we decided that signing Julián was impossible, we started looking for solutions, and Gabriel was the perfect solution for us. So the idea didn't change; the idea was to look for a player of the same type. But Julián is now in the past, and we have to look forward. We are happy with what we have, and I hope he is well too and helps his club, and in the end, that's what matters. There are many transfers and signings that do not happen with us."

Regarding José Mourinho's presence in LaLiga and his role at Real Madrid, Deco said: "It's good to have him in LaLiga, as a competitor it makes things more difficult, but I'm happy, happy for him, because I think he is one of the best coaches in history. He is at Real Madrid, one of the best clubs in the world, and that's a good thing, it's a big challenge for everyone."

When asked whether José Mourinho's character and the accompanying refereeing controversies raise concerns within Barcelona, Deco replied: "We are not worried about it. I think we should look at ourselves. It is clear that there will always be refereeing debates, and there will always be decisions in favor of one team and sometimes in favor of the other team. Sometimes I don't think it is proportional, and I believe that referees can make mistakes at certain moments, and that can happen. There is video technology that came to correct many things, but at the same time, it doesn't always correct. In the end, refereeing debates will continue to exist, and this is a historical matter in Spain, Italy, and everywhere. We will not be the ones to end this. I think transparency and clarity are always important, but I do not get into that side. We at Barcelona look at ourselves, and we will always do what is within our reach, and we try to improve every day, and I cannot comment on what happens on the other side."

In his closing remarks, Deco praised João Cancelo's abilities, stating: "João has the quality to play in any position, and he is one of the best full-backs in the world. Technically, he is one of the most skillful players in recent years. I believe that FC Barcelona suits him perfectly, as Barcelona is fundamentally about technical quality."