The agent of Barcelona striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has reiterated that his client will remain at Camp Nou next season, despite hints by coach Pep Guardiola that his future may lie elsewhere.

The Swedish forward joined Barça last summer in a €66m deal that saw them give Inter Milan €46m plus striker Samuel Eto'o in exchange for the 28-year-old.

Ibrahimovic has never really lived up to that fee and was hugely criticised in his first season in Catalonia. He was frequently left on the bench towards the end of the campaign, and looks set to be marginalised further following Barcelona's signing of Spain striker David Villa from Valencia.

He wants to start the season in style with Barcelona. All the stories talking of a return to Italy are totally without foundation.
Mino Raiola on his client, Zlatan Ibrahimovic

In a press conference yesterday, Guardiola left the door open for Ibrahimovic to depart by saying the decision on whether his stays or leaves was down to the player and his agent. But the latter says his client will be staying at Barcelona.

"He has a contract with Barça and he wants to show his value 100 per cent," Mino Raiola told Italian website Calcionews24.com. "He is focused and he wants to start the season in style with Barcelona."

After making his name at Ajax, Ibrahimovic enjoyed successful spells at Juventus and Inter, but Raiola says reports of a return to Italy are off the mark.

"All of the new stories talking of a return to Italy are totally without foundation," he said.