http://www.football.co.uk/chelsea/chelsea_...rss780948.shtml

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.

Heads up: Zlatan Ibrahimovic (right) could be heading to England

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.

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No thanks.

Absolutely no chance.

I don't want him and certainly not for the amount of money mentioned.

This reads like a nightmare scenario.

I think we can survive without him, somehow.

He is a poor man's Kalou.

If Barca is keen on getting rid of him, why should anyone break any transfer fee records to get him? Desperate to sell...it's buyer's advantage.

He is a poor man's Kalou.

I wouldn't want Zlatan at Chelsea because of his giant ego and terrible attitude, but he's still one of the most naturally gifted European players at the moment.

I wouldn't want Zlatan at Chelsea because of his giant ego and terrible attitude, but he's still one of the most naturally gifted European players at the moment.

He is a flat track bully who disappears in big games and when he isn't the centre of attention - not whay I would call a gifted footballer, more of a circus pony.

hope not,he is useless whenever ive watched him

OMG OMG OMG OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We really have a chance to sign Ibra for a new british transfer record!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OMG OMG OMG OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Apprently there was a stat that in the home game against inter he only ran 10 metres more than Valdes. Worse than Berbatov for effort.

Would really hate us to waste anytime persuing a transfer for him

Zlatan aint useless, he's done well coming to barca - a totally new playstyle compared to his time in Italy. Take Etoo for example, how well has he done in his first season at Inter? until he scored against us in the CL he had not scored for ages.

Ibra started out well and kept scoring, even made history for scoring 4 or 5 games in a row at barcelona as a new signing. Then he hit a dry spell in the 2nd half of the season and had a bit of trouble coming back from it but I think we'll see a different Ibra next season, hoping for some brilliant stuff from him as he shown in Italy before.

I would not mind him here in Chelsea, but I wouldnt want to break records either for signing him.

I might defend him a bit too much but he's swedish and I love the bloke and on his day he is brilliant.

Dear Jesus, please no.

For me Zlaten is one of those players that can be a Joy to watch when hes playing for ateam you don't support, that way you don't really notice the times when he does hardly anything for a run of games or for 89 minutes of a game.

Playing for Chelsea he would frustrate the hell out of me and I find it unlikely he would show the effort that would be needed in the Premier League and that sort of thing could easily rub off on other memebers of the Squad.

I think he is a very Talented player for a bloke of his size he has (on his day) quick feet and deft control with a powerful shot that seems to come from hardley any backwards movement of his leg, I noticed this a few seasons ago and more than once, can't remember who against but I'm sure it was him.

All that said If I was a UTD fan I would regret the signing of Berbatov (who I thought was a great player) and I'm sure Ibrhimovic would show the same type of commitment here.

Didn't Brian M rate him?

I have mixed feelings about Ibrahimovich. There is no doubt he's an excellent striker but he has a horrible tendency to run hot and cold. Any time I've seen him play against an English club he has failed to produce. I question his work rate and have doubts of him adjusting to the Premiership game. I would be reluctant to see him come to the Bridge.

This reads like a nightmare scenario.

Seconded. Ughhhhh.

This is all a journo's fantasy so that Barca can line up with Torres and Villa in the near future. If they dont already regret it, David Villa playing for Barca is going to make Real Madrid regret going cheap and buying the albatross known as Karim Benzema

Edited May 12, 201016 yr by TheWestwayWonder

I would take him for around 20 millions to be honest. Great player, and he has not been as bad as some tend to believe in Barcelona. Around 21 goals in 30 matches i think.

i would take him. he was on fire at the start of the season and he has that bit of flair that can open up 11 man defences like liverpool

40 mill is a bit much for a 28y/o but he would improve us imo

That part about torres in there is a load of crap, any time Carlo or anyone working with the club talks about it they say we are not going after torres yet in this report it talks as if we are currently in negotiations.

As for Zlatan no doubt he can be a fantastic player and even though he has been slagged off constantly this year he has still managed a 20 goal haul in a new league I think for that price we should really be going after some younger talent such as Aguero,

He is one of those players who can create those magical moments, either by creating a goal out of absolutely nothing and he does it quite regularly as well. He used to be one of those players who are scorers of great goals, but not great goal scorers, but these days he does the magnificent goals and the regular ones, but most importantly he has been scoring them quite regularly(+20 goal per season for several seasons in a row).

Still...wouldn't want him at Chelsea. I think Drogba and Zlatan would eventually kill each other on the pitch.

No.

That would be my answer.

Joke, right?