Thursday, 11 June 2009

All parties deny deal on Ibrahimovic

Inter Milan yesterday put out an official statement on its website denying a deal with Barcelona on the transfer of Inter Milan forward and Swedish international Zlatan Ibrahimovic (27):

"During the transfer window, a headline in a newspaper is enough to transform groundless rumours into truth.

This is what has happened today after the article published in Barcelona newspaper El Mundo Deportivo about a presumed deal between FC Internazionale and the Catalan club. Besides being completely unfounded, the presumed deal seems remote from any logic, even to the eyes of neutral observers. The report is, therefore, groundless."

Asked about the rumours linking Ibrahimovic with an exit, Inter Milan president Massimo Moratti nevertheless told the club's official television channel that Inter could sell players this summer if a good bid comes in: "Soon, and with calm, we will reach a solution. We are not forced to sell or buy. We have a strong team, with players who have shown they care about Inter, like Ibrahimovic who in his three years with us has done his duty as a great professional.

So I think we can continue like this unless there are situations where we can close a good deal for the club. With the current economic climate it is obviously necessary to sell as well, but I am not pushing in one direction or another. We will see what happens in the summer transfer market, we will try to create a strong team next year too because our objectives won't change."

The player's agent Mino Raiola commented on the rumours in an interview with Spanish radio station Onda Cero: "There's no deal with any club that's not Inter and we're not allowed to talk with another club. It's normal that presidents of two clubs talk with eachother like happened last week.

Moratti also likes Messi and they're talking about him too. Ibrahimovic hasn't a preference for any team. The club that wants him should talk with Inter first and then they should offer us a sporting and an economic project. The two are important. His fee? I think Ibrahimovic is worth the same as Kaká and Cristiano Ronaldo together.”

Barcelona president Joan Laporta also denied that there’s a deal in an interview with Catalan radio station Catalunya Ràdio. Asked about his future, Ibrahimovic meanwhile unconfirmedly said in an interview with Swedish television channel TV4 that he knows more about his future: “I know where I will play next season, but I keep it for myself. And I’m feeling comfortable with that.”

Read more:
Deal with Inter on Ibrahimovic
Barcelona wants to renew Eto'o
Meeting with Inter on Ibrahimovic: A reconstruction

29 comments:

madrid.too.rich.4.barca :( said...

just in on skysports news !!! Real madrid are in advance talks with valencia over villa !!!

WTF !>!>!?!?!? LAPORTA TXIKI CMONN WORK ON RIBERY BEFORE MADRID OR MAN U !!!!!!!

tref said...

His agent really talks too much. Why doesn't he sack him???!!!

Anonymous said...

I want him in Barcelona for the right price. Get Ribery/Robinho, Gael Clichy/Philip Lahm, a sub RB and Mascherano. Now all we need to make this dream real is 80 million euros!

Barcamaniacism. said...

As a die hard Barca Maniac, i would only stay back, watch, listen to the transfers because this is causing headaches, frustrations to people. I would wish we sign ibra, villa and ribery but nothing is clear until this moment as to who is to what and where people are going or heading too. Its too much pissing off but as pep said, let me take a stroll and just listen, watch until come Sept !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

jordy said...

probably won't happen. the transfer of zlatan that is!

Anonymous said...

let's go for luca toni instead!

H said...

@Barcamaniacism
your absolutely right , it's no use getting frustrated over rumers that have no end .
until the word official appears before some news , don't give it to much attention .
and to other barca fans , don't worry , pep knows what the team needs and tixiki will get it.
as for ronaldo and kaka , theyre great players of course but think about it for a sec , real madrid never had a problem in scoring or creating chances , their biggest weakness is their defence .
so the thing that ronaldo and kaka will add are wage bills , injury problems ( kaka ) , ball and spotlight hogging (ronaldo )
and besides kaka couldn't play well with ronaldinho even though their both brazillian , why , i think its because he does'nt want to share creative freedom ( the main play maker ) .

sorry i tend to ramble a lot , but it's just my humble opinion .

ograsort said...

VIlla and Ribery great players, Ibrahimovic, even more spectacular - there is a lot of options. Like hamad-ali notes, pep and txiki know what to do. There is no need for panicking just beauase real already landed two huge transfers.

Let's not forget, we're the big dicks of european football.

KluivertsBoots said...

After the Kaka and Ronaldo deals, no one but Chelsea or Man City can afford Ibra. I guess I should include Real, but it looks like they will buy Villa instead. Florentino bought a printing press on the black market apparently.

What that money can't buy is a true philosophy, and that is what we have. Let's sign players who fit and let Madrid do the overreaching.

With such money on the table this year, I wonder if options like Keirrison and Hernanes resurface as cheaper alternatives to the European market.

Anonymous said...

I think Zlatan's statement is interesting.

"I know where I will play next season"

One assumes that he is definately not talking about Inter.

The only club with the capability to buy him is Chelsea, and even that is incredibly unlikely.

Perhaps it's on. Bring it!

Barca will be far more complete than Real at this rate. A tall, visionary striker is the final piece of the puzzle...

Ribery would be nice, though.

Ono said...

You guys are a fucking joke.
"Oh no, Real brought two major stars. C'mon Laporta you do it too. Bu fucking hu"
I mean what the fuck is wrong with you? We just had the best season ever and you want to bring Ibra, Villa an Ribery for who knows what reason. Why would we do that? We have the best team in the world at the moment. We don't need any top notch players. All we need is a good, young left back who will jump into that position in a year or two.
And if we would bring these three players where would they fit in? You do realize that Barca scored more then 160 goals last season. Attack doesn't need any chages especially not that drastic. You're acting like we had a horrible season

Anonymous said...

Ono: Remember the last time we won CL. We got complacent, the players got complacent after getting big new contracts (never change a CL winning team was the rule we went for) and we became a big disappointment the following seasons. I especially fear Henry is not hungry anymore after winning the CL he missed, and Eto'o has won everything with this club now and just wants more and more money.

Martin Engelin said...

Zlatan too Barca next season! It would be great. That way we won't have too worry about his contract anymore!
I think Zlatan will eighter go to Barca or stay at Inter. Probably Barca.

Btw, Ono you are so wrong. Firstly, our schedual next season will be much worse than this year, plus that Eto'o will be away in alot of matches. Guardiola himself has said that he wants too make the squad larger.
Secondly yes attack needs change. Like i said Etoo will be gone, who shall we trust playing as a first striker? Bojan? No he is still much too young. And what if Bojan gets injured while Eto'o is gone? Seriously it's obvious that we NEED too buy some new players.

Personally I hope it will be: Ibrahimovic, Filipe Luiz and Ribery.

Kman said...

Forward and defence positions aside, badly need a few good players to replace Xavi and Iniesta when they are rested or out injured. During this season we could see that when either Iniesta or Xavi were rested, our playmaking and midfield controling ability was severly affected. Goals were harder to score even with Henry, Eto and Messi up front. Just my 2 cents..

KluivertsBoots said...

I say buy Hernanes and promote Thiago for creative center mid.

Martin Engelin said...

Kman you have a good point. Whenever Xavi or Iniesta was gone barca didn't play at its best. Buying a good mid should be a priority.

The thing is that with the "Eto'o situation" a striker must be bought. Ibra would be great. Plus I think it's pretty much done already. Ofcourse the teams try too silence everything down. Zlatan seems confident in where he will play next season. Like I've said I don't think that he wants to go to another club than Barca.

Zlatan himself has never denied wanting too go to Barca.
This is from an interview with Zlatan:

What is happening with barcelona?
-What's happening? Not much.

Inter is denying interess on there website
-okey, I have no idea.

What happends now?
-What happends now? Vaccacion.

He doesn't seem too chatty about Barcelona, maybe a reason?

Ono said...

@Anonymous
Season after 05/06 wasn't bad because we stayed with the same team. It was bad because a million other things. They let Van Bommel go(and didn't bring anyone to take his place) which would be equivalent to letting Yaya go now. Eto'o and Messi were out for a long time during the season and squad harmony was completely shattered after that Eto'o/Ronaldinho/Rijkaard fight.
About their loss of motives in next season. That's just an excuse when you're down in form. Eto'o had already won everything before this season and that didn't stop him to have the best season of his life.

@Marws
I agree, our schedule will be a lot tougher with World Club Champ. and Africa's Cup but what with the rest of the season? That two competitions stretch from December to middle of February. That leaves more than 2/3 of the season. If we bring Ibrahimovic either him or Eto'o would have to sit on the bench. And they are not that type of players. I agree that we need to enlargen the squad but not with players that "have to" play in the first team. We should bring an attacker like Guiza or someone like that. A player that will score (especially in this team) but who will not demand that he plays in the first team.

And please, explain why do we need Ribery? Where would you fit him in?

thebackseatstrangler said...

@Ono
i completely agree with your evaluation of the 06/07 season.

but i do think that eto'o is being a total dickhead & their must be a reason why he hasn't renewed or has taken so long to renew this season. this has been brewing since last summer and i think he's made up his mind.

ibrahimovic's price may be inflated as hell(especially now) but he is fucking insanely talented. he's already played as a sole striker in a 4-3-3 in ajax and is used to passing, fluid play. he did really well in juventus but unfortunately went to inter and has had to carry the team for the past three seasons.

although i doubt barcelona would try to go tit for tat with real madrid i'm hoping ibrahimovic gets signed. david silva would be the icing on the cake for the left wing.

and what of henry/bojan?
i think they'd both alternate beween playing on the wings and as the second striker.

promote thiago/buy a cheap sub for xavi & abidal(crosas & filipe, respectively) & barca'd be set.

Ono said...

Besides the Ibrahimovic thing, I totally agree with you. Don't get me wrong, if it turns out that Eto'o is leaving then I wouldn't mind signing Ibrahimovic (altought I like Benzema more).

Anonymous said...

I repsect Zlatan, but paying an over-inflated price is not Barca's style. Added to this, his wage demands will cause disharmony in the team. I agree with the comment about his ability to play as lone striker in a 4-3-3 system: an Ajax-schooled Cruyff-esque striker would fit nicely into the Barca team. Is there any possibility of saving Huntelaar from Real Madrid? With all the talk of players coming in to their side, surely there is potential for some to leave (at a good price).

thebackseatstrangler said...

huge huntelaar fan. mmmm...i doubt that real would sell their main big striker(who else do they have? van nilsterooy? higuain can't lead the attack) to the club that is spurring their mad dash for balon d'or winners ;^/

i think eto'o plus 20-25 mil will seal the deal for the swede.

but then again is putting all your eggs in one basket a good thing? if we go for ibra hopefully we have enough funds to go for silva(20-25 mil). if we go for ribery(50 mil) we go for some loser like adebayor(30 mil) or toni(15 mil)

Anonymous said...

Real Madrid buying Kaka, Ronaldo, Villa while we, the treble champions, settle for their unwanted rejects like Huntelaar would be totally humiliating for us and send the completely wrong signal to everyone.

Ono said...

^^Anonymous

There's a real fan. Let's buy big just because Real is doing so or otherwise we'll be humiliated.
Man, grow up. Who cares about the transfer window? The only place that will tell us who should be humiliated is the pitch. We already have a team that can beat Real with Kaka and CR.

Martin Engelin said...

Ono, ofcourse we shouldn't have both Ibra and Eto'o in the same team. We sell eto'o, and get lots of money. We need another winger aswell. Like i said We always play good when Iniesta and Xavi play in the middle. If we only have Henry on the left wing then Iniesta have too play there sometimes. Buying Ribery can fix that problem. Henry would be the perfect sub since he can play on the wing and as a CF.

By the way, How can you prefer Benzema bfore Ibra?!

Ono said...

First, no one will give you lot of money for a player whose contract expires next season.
We need a winger, but not a winger that is among top five player in the world. Then someone of the treble winning team would have to sit on the bench and I don't see any logic in that. And Bojan is a player that can play on the left wing. And now is the time when he has to play if we want him to evolve.

Benzema is 6 years younger then Ibrahimovic, he plays in a team in which he doesn't have as much quality around him as Ibra and he scores almost the same. Pshisichal attributes are the same for both guys, they are tall and strong, great headers.

Martin Engelin said...

Okey forgett that "lots of money", but if we can include him in an offer with Ibra that would be perfect. Benzema is 6 years younger... Is that better? No it isn't. If we buy a young striker it's like telling Bojan that he is not needed. In my opinion Bojan has bigger potencial than Benzema.

It's true that Bojan can play on the wing, but I'd prefer him as a striker. He has scored more goals in the Barca academy than anyone else.

Ono said...

Well, I don't want neither Benzema nor Ibrahimovic. But I prefer Benzema if we have to bring someone. Bojan will get the same message no matter who of the two would come because we surely won't give Eto'o and 40 million euros for a player that will make room for Bojan.
And bringing Benzema would be far better for Barca. Imagine this in a few years when Eto'o and Henry drop their level. Messi, Bojan and Benzema in the same team.

Martin Engelin said...

Eh don't think you understood my last post. Buying a young striker will give the message of Bojan not being needed. Buying an old striker seends Bojan the message that he will be needed when this old striker (lets say Ibra) is too old.

Benzema will not go for free, and buying a young striker for the money Lyon wants for him the message is clear: Benzema has greater potencial than Bojan. Lets go for Benzema, and sell Bojan when he is ready/Bojan will always be a sub.

One young striker is enough.

Ono said...

And one world class central attacker is enough. But you still want Ibrahimovic

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