EUROPEAN TRANSFER NEWS:BARCELONA AND Inter Milan have reached an agreement in principle to swap Inter striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic for Barcelona forward Samuel Eto'o plus cash.
The conclusion of the deal depends on the Sweden and Cameroon internationals agreeing personal terms, Barca president Joan Laporta was quoted on the Catalan club’s website as telling a news conference.
Barca did not specify the amount of cash involved but Spanish media reported it was about €40 million and that Barca’s Belarus midfielder Aleksandr Hleb would be heading to Inter on loan as part of the deal.
Barcelona said Laporta wanted to make clear a final deal had not been completed and the club were still considering other options, including the purchase of Valencia striker David Villa.
“The Ibrahimovic deal is not done and dusted and it would be too early to say which of the two options is the most satisfactory,” Laporta said. “In the end we will choose the option that is best for Barca.”
Ibrahimovic would be Barca’s second buy of the close season following their purchase of Inter’s left back Maxwell, which was completed earlier yesterday for a fee of €4.5 million rising to a possible €5 million.
Maxwell has signed a four-year contract with an option for a further year. The Brazilian has a buyout clause worth €50 million.
The 27-year-old is the club’s first signing of the off-season and has been brought in to replace compatriot Silvinho. The length of his contract depends on how many matches he plays in his fourth season, Barca said.
Roma are willing to consider offers for Italian playmaker Alberto Aquilani. Aquilani has been a reported target of Liverpool, with the English Premier League looking for a possible replacement for Real Madrid target Xabi Alonso.
When asked about Aquilani, Roma coach Luciano Spalletti said: “We need to be open and listen to any type of offers that are proposed to us. We are not worried, we know what we need to do.
“There will probably be two or three transfer market deals done and I am convinced we will be able to work well.”
Roma director Bruno Conti revealed neither Liverpool nor any other club had made an offer for Aquilani.
“The situation as it is right now is that Aquilani will remain until there is a squad that makes an offer,” Conti said. “Once this happens then we will see.”
Aquilani (25) is under contract with the Rome outfit until June 2013. A right ankle injury limited Aquilani to only 14 league appearances for the Giallorossi last season.
Juventuss 34-year-old captain Alessandro Del Piero has extended his contract with the Serie A club by a year until 2011.
“I can only confirm my happiness and pride at this agreement,” the striker said yesterday. “I’m happy to be here for two more years to write more important pages in the history of team, which I believe is the most important in Italy and one of the most important in Europe.
Del Piero has become Juve’s all-time top scorer since joining them in 1993, helping them win five Serie A titles and the Champions League once and scoring more than 260 goals in all competitions.
The forward, who holds the club’s appearances record with 603 games, is also adored by Juve fans for staying in Turin and helping them climb back after their relegation for match fixing in 2006.
Del Piero, who has scored 27 goals for Italy in 91 appearances, added that he hoped to win back his place in the national squad in time for next year’s World Cup after being overlooked by coach Marcello Lippi last season.
AC Milan vice executive president Adriano Galliani insists Andrea Pirlo will remain at the San Siro despite ongoing speculation linking the Italy international with a move to Chelsea.
Reports in England claim the World-Cup winning playmaker is a target for the Chelsea’s former Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti.
“Pirlo is destined to remain here,” said Galliani. “We never entered into negotiations with Chelsea for Pirlo, there has never been an offer on the table and there are no problems.
“Will he (Pirlo) remain at Milan? I really believe so.”
The 30-year-old is under contract with AC Milan until June 2012. He made 26 league appearances as the Rossoneri finished third in Serie A last season.
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