Barcelona pursuit of Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko could open the door to Samuel Eto'o moving to London at the end of this season.
The Daily Mail says should Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich decide to sell Shevchenko, then Barcelona could offer him a way out of Chelsea after accepting that Eto'o will be leaving Spain this summer.
Club president Joan Laporta had promised Frank Rijkaard that he would try to bring the Ukrainian to the Nou Camp before his move to the Premiership at the start of this season.
Barcelona are now thought to be willing to pay ?15million for the 30-year-old, but there is also a possibility of a swap deal including Eto'o.
Chelsea chief scout Frank Arnesen has recommended Eto'o to Abramovich, claiming he is the best centre-forward in the world.
Abramovich had a ?30m offer for the Cameroon international, who has a ?75m buy-out clause in his contract, dismissed out of hand by Barcelona last year.
Eto'o has had a disappointing season at Barca and his fractured relationship with team-mate Ronaldinho is thought by many within the club to be unsustainable for another season.
Laporta's technical advisors have submitted a detailed dossier on Shevchenko's potential role as an out-and-out centre forward in a 4-3-3 formation between Ronaldinho and Lionel Messi.
Crossing to the Bridge? Samuel Eto'o has been linked in a swap deal with Chelsea for Ukrainian star Andriy Shevchenko.
Rijkaard believes the Ukrainian would be a bargain and that Barcelona's style of play would suit him down to the ground.