Heads up: Zlatan Ibrahimovic (right) could be
heading to England
Chelsea and
Manchester City are being
offered the chance to sign Zlatan Ibrahimovic in a deal that would
create a new British transfer record.
Barcelona president Joan Laporta is keen to offload the Sweden
striker and has reportedly recruited agent and close friend Pini
Zahavi to find a buyer willing to pay in excess of £40million.
Chelsea and City have been targeted as the likeliest takers in
England and are about to be sounded out, following a clear signal
both clubs are looking to strengthen up front.
Chelsea are still concentrating their efforts on trying to prise
£70m-rated Fernando Torres away from Liverpool and will wait to
discover their prospects of landing the World Cup-bound Spain
striker before considering the merits of Ibrahimovic.
Wanted: Chelsea and City want Fernando
Torres
City have the funds to meet Barcelona's asking price but
will carefully weigh up whether the 28-year old's occasionally
sullen demeanour and fitful flair meets their
requirements.
The £32.5m City paid Real Madrid for Robinho remains the record
fee by a British club, but Barcelona will hold out for
significantly more than that for a player they signed from Inter
Milan for £40m plus Samuel Eto'o.
New Juventus president Andrea Agnelli wants to take Ibrahimovic
back to Turin but is reluctant to pay more than £35m, prompting
Laporta to try and guage interest levels elsewhere in Europe.
Ibrahimovic has come under fire for failing to provide a cutting
edge when Barcelona needed it most, in their Champions' League
semi-final return meeting with Inter at the Nou Camp.
Traling 3-1 from the first leg, Ibrahimovic could make little
impression on a well-drilled Inter defence, as a belated
breakthrough from defender Gerard Pique proved too little too
late.
Eye-catching: Ibrahimovic has won mixed reviews
during his time at Barcelona
Honorary president Johan Cruyff sprang to the defence of
Barca's misfiring striker, who has scored 16 times this season,
saying: 'Ibrahimovic has been instrumental in securing victories,
even in the last few games. To say so lightly that this player does
not work, that he is not worth it, is to have a short
memory.'
But Laporta has set his sights on David Villa and wants to free
up space in his starting line-up, as well as generate the necessary
funds, to press ahead with a move for the Valencia frontrunner, who
has also been linked with Chelsea.