Zlatan: It was Barcelona or nothing
New Barcelona striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has revealed he would not have been allowed to leave Inter Milan for any other club.
The Sweden international was unveiled to the press and more than 50,000 fans at the Nou Camp after putting pen to paper on a five-year deal with Pep Guardiola's side, with Samuel Eto'o going in the other direction.
Ibrahimovic had made little secret of his desire to join the Catalan club and on Tuesday, he told Barca TV a deal with Inter president Massimo Moratti was key to the move.
"I made an agreement with the president of Inter that the only club they could sell me to was Barcelona," he said.
"The others could ask but they wouldn't get a reply.
"The only one I answered was Barca. That gives me a special feeling.
"The move from Malmo to Ajax was good, I was happy. From Ajax to Juve was an important move but emotionally it was a normal event.
"I thought I would have to keep on playing. The transfer from Juve to Inter seemed like an important fact but it didn't change my mood.
"In contrast, this transfer has made me feel nervous.
"Barca has an historic tradition. Everyone wants to be part of this great club, they've made history and I want to be part of that history."
On Tuesday, the 27-year-old had surgery, described by the club as successful, on a fracture in his hand revealed in the player's medical.
The striker will travel with the team to the United States for their upcoming tour but will not play.
He will also miss the friendly with Manchester City on August 19, but Barca sporting director Txiki Begiristain announced that he is set to return for the second leg of the Spanish Super Cup against Athletic Bilbao four days later.
When he does finally get to represent his new team, he is confident he will slot in without trouble.
He said: "I think I'll fit in really well because it's the way I want to play, the way I want to train, the way I want to learn, because this style of football is what I tasted at Ajax.
"It really suited me and I learned a lot."
Ibrahimovic feels teamwork has become one of his big strengths since his time in Holland.
"It's one of my qualities that I learned in Italy," he said. "It's important to know how to play as part of a team.
"If you don't play as part of the team it's impossible to achieve the objectives that your club is looking for.
"You have to help your team-mates and your team-mates have to help you."
(Soccer365.com)
