The Fans Football Blog3

Asked about the rumours linking him with a move to several European top clubs (read more here), CSKA Moscow left winger and Russian international Yuri Zhirkov (25) has unconfirmedly said in an interview with Russian sports paper Sport-Express that a transfer to Barcelona is his first option:

"I would prefer to join Barcelona, but that does not automatically mean I would turn down Chelsea. I should stress again that there is a difference between playing for a club and sitting on the bench. If I had to sit on the bench, I wouldn't even want to join Barcelona. Said that, I am still yet to receive any specific offers.

Milan or Barcelona? Being a fan of both of those teams, it would depend on the contract! (laughs) With all else being equal, I would perhaps go to Barcelona because it is a city I like very much and I have friends there. However, we are talking about something that is a long way from reality right now."

Read more:
Barcelona rejoins the race for Zhirkov
Liverpool and Juventus interested in Abidal
Zhirkov and Lahm on top of left back list