Eastlands boss set to complete biggest deal of the summer?

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Swedish soccer star Zlatan Ibrahimovic enjoys lunch in Miami, FL with some friends on July 8, 2010. Fame Pictures, Inc

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.

It has been widely reported in Spain that Robinho, who has been on loan at Santos, would be the makeweight in the proposed deal being thrashed out in Barcelona.

Swede Ibrahimovic was at the centre of a similar swap-plus-cash deal last year when he moved from Inter Milan to Barcelona for £35m with Samuel Eto’o going the other way.

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. (Manchester Evening News)

This would be one hell of a coup but after the captures of Jerome Boateng, David Silva and Yaya Toure, not an impossible one. Using Robinho as a potential make weight for the deal is wise given that Roberto Mancini seemingly has no interest in using the Brazilian and therefore is helpfully ridding one hefty wage bill before potentially bringing in another one.

Given that David Villa has arrived at the Nou Camp and adding the fact that the Swede didn’t have the greatest debut season at Barcelona, although by no means as poor as some make out, it would seem that the forward is on his way out.

The fact that Ibrahimovic had some of his best form under Roberto Mancini, during their two seasons together Inter Milan won the title twice, and the fact that the Italian signed the towering front man from Juventus in the first place, will surely add more credence to this potential deal which will end up costing around £42m in total.