Ibrahimovic lined up for Robinho swap

[HANDYMAN]

Robinho is today at the centre of a sensational multi-million pound swap deal involving Barcelona’s £40m-rated Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

City’s record signing has long identified the Nou Camp as his favoured destination and, after a highly successful World Cup with Brazil, could now get his wish with the Spanish giants interested in doing a deal.

And M.E.N. Sport understands City’s top brass are hoping to take advantage of the Spanish club’s current financial plight to pull off a bombshell swap that would solve two problems at once.

Intriguingly, Ibrahimovic played under Blues boss Roberto Mancini when he was in charge at Inter and the Eastlands chief rates him so highly he would be willing to pay £15m-plus and lose Robinho.

City are looking to continue to splash the cash in a determined bid to land at least a Champions League place next season with Ibrahimovic now joining James Milner on the Eastlands wanted list.

But the Blues, who have already shelled out an amazing £60m this summer creating a new all-stars international team, will have to up their current offer to £30m in order to land the Villa and England midfielder.

Mancini has been determined the Blues do not pay over the top in transfer fees and has already snapped up a trio of superstars Yaya Toure from the Ivory Coast, Germany’s Jerome Boateng and David Silva who is in contention to start for Spain in Sunday’s World Cup final against Holland.

The question for the Blues hierarchy is whether to test Villa’s resolve with a final £30m bid.

But Villa, who bought Milner for £12m two years ago from Newcastle, are up for a fight to keep him by offering the player a lucrative new contract.

Mancini, meanwhile, has vowed to clinch a place in the top four next season as well as winning some silverware.

“Excited? Yes I am,” he said. “Even before I see where we finish in the transfer market."

Ibrahimovic lined up for Robinho swap - Manchester Evening News

[dlan4327]

Mancini has been determined the Blues do not pay over the top in transfer fees

Quotes like this are what the phrase "wtf?" was invented for.

[justboy]

makes sense i guess.

[JJtheRed]

Ah shit!

Just hope they can't get him to play....

[dlan4327]

Actually now that I think about it, that is a really clever move. Ibra would be a truly world class striker that Man City could lead with.

As for Barca getting Robinho, if they put Villa in the middle & Robinho on the left, anybody who plays them are in for a lot of pain.

[Sownak27]

And of course Messi on the right, with Xavi and Iniesta supporting from midfield

[abojodeh]

Messi Villa Robinho

That's Jizzable stuff

[dualtamac]

I don't know if Ibra would handle the Premiership, he's a lazy type of player and even though he's big, he's not very physical.

Messi Villa Robinho

Looks good on paper but if you do to Barca what everyone does to Spain and make them go wide, they're ****ed, there's absolutely no header of the ball in their attacking options. Of course, if each player individually comes up with a moment of magic, then everyone else is ****ed....


We'll wait and see, I don't know if it'll happen. I can see Robinho leaving but Ibra coming, I'm less sure about.

[Menlo]

Messi Villa Robinho

That's Jizzable stuff

You're right but I still like the way you put it

[abojodeh]

Messi and Robinho don't need to play as wide player, they can both play behind Villa with both of them cutting inside.
Robinho on the left and Messi on the right, that must be scary.

[Because I'm DC]

I can't see that happening but then again there is the Mancini factor to take into account.

I'm not entirely sure why Barca would need a winger to that extent though, Pedro played well the other day for Spain and seems to have had a good year at club level too.

[dualtamac]

Messi and Robinho don't need to play as wide player, they can both play behind Villa with both of them cutting inside.
Robinho on the left and Messi on the right, that must be scary.

This is my point. They're not really wide players anyway, so all you have to do to combat them is fill the middle of the field with bodies and force Barca out wide.

[maco]

Could you imagine Ibra in the PL worst flop ever.

[JJtheRed]

Could you imagine Ibra in the PL worst flop ever.

Part of me really hopes you're right...

If they can get him playing, he's up there with any striker.

[maco]

Part of me really hopes you're right...

If they can get him playing, he's up there with any striker.

Adeybayor all over starts well and slowly starts getting worse,

[HUM]

if they ever get robinho then he will probably be at his best, and players like pedro or bojan will probably be warming the bench. even fabregas would suffer to get into the starting 11

[JJtheRed]

Adeybayor all over starts well and slowly starts getting worse,

Been consistent with everybody but Barca - even then his stats weren't that bad...

[maco]

Been consistent with everybody but Barca - even then his stats weren't that bad...

You'll probably have a different view on this, but for me at Inter he was the main player they had nobody else of that quality so when they god the ball he was the only player that could do 'something' (30 goals) a season. With Barca they had Messi,Iniesta,Xavi,Pedro and many more so when they got the ball Ibra wouldn't get as much because one of them could produce something magic KA (16 goals this season). I would love to see how he would of done for Inter this season if they signed the same players but also kept him.

[Flash]

I don't know if Ibra would handle the Premiership, he's a lazy type of player and even though he's big, he's not very physical.

Messi Villa Robinho

Looks good on paper but if you do to Barca what everyone does to Spain and make them go wide, they're ****ed, there's absolutely no header of the ball in their attacking options. Of course, if each player individually comes up with a moment of magic, then everyone else is ****ed....


We'll wait and see, I don't know if it'll happen. I can see Robinho leaving but Ibra coming, I'm less sure about.

You just made me sad

[Nachito Coronel]

Robinho would fit in like a glove over in Catalunya, and Ibrahimovic could regain form with his former manager, win win if you ask me.