BARCELONA PREPARE BID FOR ROBINHO

MADRID, Oct 11 (Reuters) - Barcelona are looking to add to their squad in the January transfer window, sporting director Txiki Begiristain was quoted as saying on Sunday.

The European champions may need reinforcements as they will lose Ivory Coast midfielder Yaya Toure during January's African Cup of Nations and will also be without Seydou Keita should Mali qualify for the three-week long tournament in Angola.

"There are options for us to strengthen (the squad) yes," Begiristain said in an interview with Sport newspaper.

"We will see if any of our defenders can play in central midfield," he added. "It's an option. Depending on that, we could look to buy a forward."

Asked whether Barca would make an offer for Manchester City's Brazilian forward Robinho, Begiristain said: "He is a very interesting footballer and could play (for us) in the Champions League."

Begiristain said the club was still interested in signing Bayern Munich's French forward Franck Ribery should the Bundesliga club put him on the market and added he was sure Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas would move back to Barcelona at some point.

"He's a player who fits the Barca profile," he told Sport. "He was born suckling on football here and one day he will end up playing at the Camp Nou. I am sure."

(Reporting by Iain Rogers, editing by Mark Meadows; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com) - source: http//uk.reuters.com

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