Alexander Hleb claims a deal to take Arsenal player to Barca

Alexander Hleb claims representing an agreement to take the player Arsenal to Barcelona "is close".

Vincenzo Morabito told Spanish newspaper Marca that his client had been hoping for a move to Inter Milan, a transfer of receivables that was scuppered by the appointment of José Mourinho as coach of Italian champions.

However, Morabito pointed out that the place Hleb will now turn its attention to Barca.

"(A sale) is near. It was a target for Barcelona for a few months," he was quoted as saying in Marca.

"I am sorry that we will not be able to take him to Italy, he loved Inter but obviously Mourinho has made different choices and opted for other names."

Arsenal threatened to report to FIFA in March after claiming an illegal approach was made for Belarus international, who has also recently been linked with a move to Spanish champions Real Madrid.

Last week reports in the Spanish media Barcelona argued that technical director Txiki Begiristain has travelled to Germany for talks with Hleb, while he was under international law.

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