Alexander Hleb is believed to be close to agreeing a deal to take him to Spanish giants Barcelona.
Spaniards swoop as Inter's interest wanes
Alexander Hleb is believed to be close to agreeing a deal to take him to Spanish giants Barcelona.
The Arsenal midfielder had favoured a move to Serie A champions Internazionale, but Jose Mourinho's arrival at Giuseppe Meazza appears to have scuppered those plans.
However, all is not lost as the Belarus international now looks set to turn his attention towards a move to Camp Nou.
Top agent Vincenzo Morabito, who had been discussing the proposed move to Italy, confirmed that Hleb is close to agreeing terms on a switch to Catalunya.
Target
"(A deal) is close. He has been a Barcelona target for some months," Morabito was quoted as saying in Marca.
"I'm sorry that we won't be able to take him to Italy, he liked Inter a lot but obviously Mourinho has made some different choices and has gone for some other names."
Arsenal had threatened to report Inter to Fifa following their initial approach for the playmaker in March, but now appear resigned to losing the 27-year-old.
Real Madrid were also believed to be in the frame for the former Stuttgart man, but a meeting between Hleb and Barca technical director Txiki Bergiristain in Germany last week appears to have swung the momentum in their favour.
