Manchester City want former Arsenal star Thierry Henry in a player-plus-cash swap deal for Robinho, after the Brazilian revealed he would relish a move to Barcelona.

Reports emerged this week that La Blaugrana had agreed a £33million fee with City for the 25-year-old, with manager Mark Hughes growing tired of the player's inconsistent form.

However, the Daily Mail reports a deal now depends on City convincing French striker Henry his future is at Eastlands, with Robinho keen to return to Spain to link up with Pep Guardiola's Camp Nou superstars.

"Of course I'd enjoy playing for Barca," he told Spanish newspaper El Mundo Deportivo. "Who wouldn't? We could have so much fun.

"It would be a pleasure to play alongside Messi, my compadre Dani Alves, Xavi, (Andres) Iniesta, (Zlatan) Ibrahimovic, with them all.

"They're a great team. I played against them and know their quality. But right now I can only do it on the PlayStation."

Reports in Spain suggesting that Robinho, who has failed he scale the heights expected of him at Eastlands following his British record £32.5million move in 2008, has already agreed a four-year deal with Barca worth £160,000-a-week, seem wide of the mark.

However City owner, Sheik Mansour, is ready to rubber stamp the deal and allow Robinho to return to Spain if he can secure another big name signing in Henry or recoup the majority of the Brazilian’s transfer fee

The Samba ace was signed last summer as a statement of intent and the club's ambitions following Sheik Mansour's takeover, but has struggled with injuries and form since the turn of the New Year.

If Hughes cannot convince Henry to return to England, he may target long-term defensive targets Carles Puyol or Éric Abidal in any potential swap deal.

Hughes is keen on bolstering his defensive options and is also a fan of Barca’s defensive midfield powerhouse Yaya Toure, who would be keen to link up with his brother Kolo at Eastlands.