Will Ibra-Eto’o swap actually happen?

July 20, 2009

It would be among the biggest swap deals ever in soccer but there is a long way to go before it becomes reality.

Inter Milan and Barcelona may have agreed to the transfers of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Samuel Eto’o (plus a bit of cash for the Italians on top) but the players have yet to agree terms and that looks trickier than might be expected.

Manchester City pulled out of talks with Eto’o after becoming frustrated while media reports say he is asking for astronomical wages.

Ibrahimovic on the other hand is reportedly the most paid player in the world and Barca will have to be careful not to destroy their wage structure if they want to recruit him.

Furthermore, Barca president Joan Laporta met Inter’s Massimo Moratti earlier in the close season and they both agreed a swap deal was not a good idea because they still wanted to keep their strikers.

The situation has changed since then, with Ibrahimovic repeating a desire for a fresh challenge and Eto’o looking more like departing, but in soccer money talks and there could still be more twists.

Sweden’s Ibrahimovic, away in the U.S. with Inter which could complicate matters, seems more keen than the Cameroon international. Ibra would definitely be more fed up if he agreed terms with Barca but the swap collapsed because Inter would not meet Eto’o’s demands.

Then Inter’s Jose Mourinho, eager to know who his main striker will be as soon as possible, would have to use his famed motivation skills to make Ibra commit fully again to the Serie A champions.

PHOTO: Inter Milan’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic (L) passes the ball around Club America’s Juan Carlos Silva during the second half of their World Football Challenge at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California July 19, 2009. REUTERS/Robert Galbraith

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Tags: America, Barcelona, California, cameroon, club america, football challenge, inter milan, italians, joan laporta, Jose, juan carlos silva, manchester city, Milan, money talks, motivation skills, Palo Alto, palo alto california, reuters, robert galbraith, samuel eto, samuel eto o, stanford university, striker, strikers, swap deal, U.S., wage structure, world football, zlatan ibrahimovic

America downs Inter in football friendly

July 20, 2009

Oscar Rojas scored the shootout winner as Mexico’s Club America defeated Inter Milan of Italy 5-4 on penalties Sunday in a friendly club match.

The teams had finished regular time 1-1. Ivan Ramiro Cordoba scored a goal in the 60th minute for Inter to knot the score after Club America took the lead in the 51st minute through Juan Carlos Silva.

The match was part of the World Football Challenge, a series of friendlies featuring England’s Chelsea, Italy’s AC Milan and Inter Milan and Club America.

The next match in the series is at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, where Chelsea will play Inter. Club America faces AC Milan Wednesday at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, then on Friday Chelsea and AC Milan play in Baltimore.

“I’m very happy because scoring a goal against such a big team is very exciting,” Silva said, although the Italian champions weren’t fielding their best.

Inter’s Julio Cesar wasn’t with the team Sunday, and his backup Francesco Toldo wasn’t available to play, leaving 19-year-old Vid Belec in goal.

Two of Inter Milan’s biggest stars, Argentinian defender Javier Zanetti and Swedish forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic were not in the starting lineup. Ibrahimovic entered the game early in the second half, while Club America was missing star goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa.

“We’re very happy with the way the game went,” Inter coach Jose Mourinho said. “We’re very happy no one got injured.”

The players weren’t even aware that the challenge called for shootouts, and started exchanging jerseys at the end of regular time.

STANFORD, California (AFP)