FC Barcelona confident of Toldo coup

FC Barcelona hope to sign Fiorentina goalkeeper Francesco Toldo next week.

The Catalan giants have had two days of talks with Toldo's agent about a £15 million move to the Camp Nou for next season and Toldo has already told the Florence club he wants to leave after this season.

The brilliant Italian international negotiated a new contract to 2005 last summer after a great Euro finals with the national team. But Barcelona did make an offer for Toldo last year.

Fiorentina president Vittorio Cecchi Gori claimed that a Spanish club had offered £55 million for the goalkeeper but Barcelona had not offered as much as that bizarre sum.

The fee for Toldo will set a new world record for a goalkeeper and the player now looks less likely to agree a move to AS Roma. The Serie A leaders have put in an offer for Parma and Italy's first choice Gianluigi Buffon but if that fails then Atalanta's young Pelizzoli will have the chance to join Roma.

Barca had been linked with an attempt to swap Rivaldo with Milan striker Andriy Shevchenko but there are claims from the Spanish Liga club that Milan are not able to meet Rivaldo's wage demands.

Barca are considering Juup Heynckes as their coach for next season on a one year contract before compiling their bid to bring Arsene Wenger from Arsenal for 2002.

The club have asked Milan about Rino Gattuso to add to their midfield and may offer a player swap to Chelsea to sign Sam Dalla Bona or put in a £9 million cash offer for the Italian-born midfielder.