Dimitar Berbatov says he wouldn’t rule out joining Newcastle United this January - IF Rafa Benitez offered him a short-term deal.
The Bulgarian legend is a free agent and admits he used to sleep in a Newcastle shirt with Alan Shearer’s name on it.
With the ex-Fulham, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur star looking for a club, he has made it clear he’d relish the chance to play for Newcastle in the Sky Bet Championship.
Speaking to the Times, when asked the straight question of whether he’d sign for Newcastle if Benitez spoke to him, Berbatov said: “Everything is possible.”
And talking about his passion for Newcastle and Shearer as a child, he said: “Yes, because Alan Shearer was a hero, still he is a hero of mine, the way he scored the goals and put his hands out, that’s what I used to do when I scored as a tribute to him, just trying to imitate your childhood hero.”
He said: “I don’t think anyone said that [Ibrahimovic is too old] because he is a player at the top level where the way he plays, he can play for another two years, maybe more.
“He has that class and understanding of the game and also when to push himself and not waste energy, just the right moment at the right time and he’s there scoring goals.
“He has football intelligence and then of course you have Gareth Barry at Everton.
“I tend to watch the older players to see how they are playing and I admire both of them because, at this age, in football, it is very difficult to maintain a high level of performance and for both those players to do this is worthy of admiration.”