Barcelona  - Barcelona confirmed Friday the transfer of Mexican striker Giovani dos Santos to Tottenham Hotspur for 6 million euros (some 9.4 million dollars), plus a further variable sum of 5 million euros.

Giovani did not fit into the project designed by new Barcelona coach Josep Guardiola, and the Catalan club sought to sell him off in an effort to obtain cash for new signings.

Moreover, Barcelona said that it is "keeping 20 per cent of the financial rights on a potential transfer of the player during the first two years of his contract and 10 per cent on a transfer for the remainder of his time at Tottenham Hotspur."

Giovani, 19, arrived at Barca in 2002 to play in the club's youth schemes. He joined the first team in 2007, but he never quite delivered on his promise, partly due to a lack of opportunities in a squad with strikers like Cameroon's Samuel Eto'o, Brazilian Ronaldinho, Argentine Leo Messi or Frenchman Thierry Henry.

Last season, Giovani played 23 games in La Liga - 10 of them as a starter - and scored three goals. He was last in a long list of forwards at Barcelona, even behind fellow-teenager Bojan Krkic.

Tottenham's Spanish coach Juande Ramos had made him a preferred signing option, and Giovani himself was happy to move on to a reputable championship like the Premiership, particularly on the promise that he will get to play more than he did at Barcelona.

Italian defender Gianluca Zambrotta could be the next to leave the Catalan giants, if ongoing negotiations with AC Milan are successful. Barcelona is intending to get 9 million euros (14.1 million dollars) plus a variable sum for the Italian.

Zambrotta, 31, would return to Italy after two seasons at Barcelona, in which he provided a disappointing performance following a good trajectory at Juventus.

Uruguayan defender Martin Caceres, in turn, signed his contract with Barcelona on Friday, for the coming four seasons.

Reports have stressed that Barcelona could be also close to signing Brazil right-back Daniel Alves from Sevilla. (dpa)