<img title="Image: http://www.myvivvo.com/thumbnail.php?file=_44690200_seydoukeita203_442993516.jpg&amp;size=article_medium" src="http://www.myvivvo.com/thumbnail.php?file=_44690200_seydoukeita203_442993516.jpg&amp;size=article_medium" alt="Keita signs for Barcelona">
										
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								<span>Barcelona have confirmed that they have signed Mali 
midfielder Seydou Keita on a four-year deal from their Spanish rivals 
Sevilla.<br><br>"Seydou Keita signed a contract committing him to 
Barcelona for the next four seasons, or until June 20, 2012," Barcelona 
said in a statement.<br><br>The club has not revealed the transfer fee, but Spanish news reports said it was around US$22 million.<br><br>"I am very happy because Barcelona is a great club," he told the Barcelona website.<br><br>"My decision is a big one because I had proposals from a lot of clubs, but I have liked Barcelona for a long time.<br><br>"It
 has all been very easy as I wanted to play for Barcelona, so the most 
difficult was the agreement between Sevilla and Barcelona.<br><br>"When this was resolved, everything was done."<br><br>Keita enjoyed an impressive first season in Spain after arriving from Lens nearly a year ago.<br><br>Acting as a midfield lynchpin, he also scored several spectacular long-range goals.<br><br>The midfielder previously played for Marseille and Lorient, with which he won the French Cup.<br><br>He was voted the best player in the Under-20 World Cup in Nigeria in 1999.<br><br>"I don't like talking because I think in soccer you don't need to talk off the field," he added.<br><br>"All I want to say is that I hope to contribute a lot to Barcelona just as I have done to Sevilla."<br><br>The 28-year-old is expected to replace Portugal's Deco, who has announced he wants to leave the Nou Camp.<br><br>Keita
 would be Barcelona's first new signing since it announced this month 
the replacement of coach Frank Rijkaard by reserve team coach Pep 
Guardiola in a reaction to its second straight season without a trophy.<br><br>Barcelona
 finished third in the league - its worst placing for five years - and 
were knocked out in the Champions League semi-finals by eventual winner 
Manchester United. <br></span>
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