Zlatan Ibrahimovic says the only way he would have left Inter Milan was to join Barcelona.

The Sweden striker put pen to paper on a five-year deal which saw Samuel Eto'o travel the other way on Monday in a deal worth around 66million euros.

Ibrahimovic was unveiled at the Nou Camp on Monday following a long delay due to a problem with the bank transfer.

After that and a strenuous medical examination in the morning, the former Inter striker said Barcelona was an offer too good to turn down.

"It's a very big thing for me," said Ibrahimovic who cost Barca 46million euros with the extra 20million euros made up in Eto'o's valuation.

"There comes a time when you want to develop more and my desire to come to Barcelona was too big to stay at Inter."

And he revealed that Inter president Massimo Moratti had given him permission to leave several months ago should an offer from Barca arrive.

"Moratti helped me in every way, he did everything for me and my family," he said.

"I said to Moratti a few months ago: 'Nobody can get me, only one club can get me and that's Barcelona', and he told me: 'if you want it like that you will get it like that'.

"So all my respect, because it is not easy to sell a player that means so much to the team," he said.

And the 27-year-old hopes to emulate Eto'o who was a prolific scorer during his time at the Spanish champions.

"I'm not coming here to be Samuel Eto'o, I'm somebody else, somebody new, but I will try to achieve as much as Eto'o, or even more," he said.

Barca president Joan Laporta hailed the Swede's arrival.

"He is not a conformist, he is ambitious, a winner, an authentic man with strong feelings and he wanted to come to Barcelona," he said.

"(Coach) Pep (Guardiola) said that Zlatan was the ideal player for us, so we are really happy to have him here."

Ibrahimovic has a fractured left hand, which was detected in Monday's medical, and will undergo an operation on Tuesday.

The former Juventus, Ajax and Inter striker will travel with the team to the United States, but will miss the friendly with Manchester City on August 19.

But Barca sporting director Txiki Begiristain announced that he is set to return for the second leg of the Spanish Super Cup against Athletic Bilbao four days later.

ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIC FACTFILE

1981: Born October 3 in Malmo, Sweden, to a Bosnian father and Croatian mother.

1996: Signs contract with hometown club Malmo FF.

1999: Makes debut for Malmo and finishes first season with one goal in six games.

2001: January - Makes debut for Sweden in a goalless friendly against the Faroe Islands.

2001: March - Joins Ajax for 7.8 million euros after impressing coach Leo Beenhakker in a training game.

2001-02: Wins Eredivisie with Ajax, scoring six goals in 24 league games.

2002: September - Scores twice on Champions League debut against Lyon, helping Ajax win 2-1.

2004: Scores against Bulgaria and Italy in Euro 2004, but misses penalty in the quarter-final shoot-out loss to Holland.

2004: August - Makes sudden move to Juventus for 16 million euros after Ajax team-mate Rafael van der Vaart claims Ibrahimovic deliberately injured him during an international match.

2004-05: Scores 16 goals in 35 league games and wins Guldbollen (Swedish footballer of the year) for first time.

2005: Subject of a reported 70 million euro bid from Real Madrid which is later revealed to be a publicity stunt initiated by his agent to raise Ibrahimovic's market value.

2006: Fails to score at World Cup finals in Germany as Sweden are eliminated by hosts in last 16.

2006: August - Moves to Inter for 24.8 million euros after Juventus get relegated to Serie B following match-fixing scandal. Signs four-year contract with the Nerazzurri.

2006: September - Sent home after violating Sweden team curfew before Euro 2008 qualifier against Bulgaria. Refuses to take part in next three internationals.

2006-07: Ends his first season as Inter's top scorer with 15 goals and wins the first of three straight Serie A titles with the club. Named in UEFA Team of the Year.

2007: November - Wins Guldbollen for second time.

2008: May - Helps Inter retain Serie A crown. Extends Inter deal to summer 2013.

June - Ends two-year international goal drought against Greece in Euro 2008. Finishes the tournament with two goals but Sweden bow out at group stage.

November - Wins Guldbollen for third time.

2008-09: Finishes as top scorer in Serie A and notches 29 goals in all competitions. Named Serie A footballer of the year as Inter win title again.

2009: July 24 - Agrees personal terms with Barcelona as he edges ever closer to joining the European champions in a deal which would see Samuel Eto'o head in opposite direction.

July 27 - Signs a five-year deal with Barcelona.