Etihad Stadium youngster attracting a lot of attention.
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Manchester City have released Norwegian U-21 international midfielder Abdisalam Ibrahim sparking a battle for his signature from Newcastle, QPR, Fulham, Crystal Palace, Swansea and Celtic according to The Daily Star.
The youngster still had a year left to run on his deal with the former Premier League champions and while he was expected to depart this summer, the 22-year-old was believed to be worth about £750,000 to the Etihad Stadium club due to a release clause in his contract.
However according to reports new City boss Manuel Pellegrini has now decided to end his time with the Manchester side early after the youngster only made three appearances for the club since joining in 2010.
Ibrahim was signed from Norway minnows Fjellhamar but has spent most of time with the club out on-loan firstly with then-Championship side Scunthorpe United in 2011 and then back in his native country with NEC and Stromgodset.
The Somalia-born player was thought to be highly-rated at the Etihad Stadium with comparisons made to City’s current football development manager Patrick Vieira with the midfielder possessing a similar composed style of play. The former Arsenal man had even been to Norway to watch Ibrahim and was understood to have been impressed with his initial performances.
But the signing of Brazil international midfielder Fernandinho has seen the Norway player fall further down the pecking order with Pellegrini’s side and he has now reportedly been told he can leave the club on a free this summer.
That has put various clubs across the United Kingdom on alert as they look to pick up the 6ft 2in midfielder up on a free-transfer before the new season commences.