Last summer we had an intriging transfer between two of Europe's biggest clubs - FC Barcelona, who had just experienced the most successful season in their history and Inter Milan, who were crowned Serie A champions for the fourth straight year.

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Inter's Swedish centre striker, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, described by Jose Mourinho just weeks before as the ''best player in the world'', would be swapped for Barcelona's African Player of the Year Samuel Eto'o. 

The deal would also include a reported £35m fee going Inter's way, valuing Eto'o at about the same price as the cash adjustment and Ibrahimovic worth a cool £70m.

But had Ibrahimovic earned that much respect in Europe? Quality-wise was he worth only £10m less than Cristiano Ronaldo or £10m better than Brazilian Kaka's transfer from AC Milan to Real Madrid?

It didnlt seem to make sense at the time. Yes, Ibrahimovic had had a decent season for Inter, but he was still unable to score in 180 minutes against Manchester United, as Inter crashed out early in the Champions League. 

And while the Swedish star could bang the goals away in Serie A, on the highest stage he was usually left wanting.

One is reminded of his dire game as a Juventus player when the Old Lady travelled to London to play Arsenal in the Champions League in 2006. On that performance, which he uncannily produced on most European nights, he wouldn't be worth 70 pence let alone the astronomical fee Inter received for him.

The story was quite different for the Cameroonian Eto'o though. Here was a player who was producing the goods every season, a player who rose to the biggest occasions and a player who had scored in not one but two Champions League finals (2006 and 2009).

On both occasions he came away as the winner. After he and Barcelona conquered all that lay before them, Eto'o was quite arguably the best striker in the world last season.

It is no secret that despite claiming that Ibrahimovic was among the best players in the world, Mourinho had an affection for Eto'o who once broke Jose's heart.

Whilst at Chelsea, Mourinho suffered a rare home defeat as Barcelona beat the Blues 2-1. It was Eto'o who got the winner from a superb header. And it was Eto'o who became Mourinho's No. 1 target for the summer. Instead he got Andriy Shevchenko and the rest is history.

When the exchange transfer of Ibrahimovic and Eto'o was completed between Barcelona and Inter, it was fair to say that Mourinho looked to have got the better deal.

Fast forward to the present, as we are past half way and hitting the home run to the final phases of the respective championships. Who has been the better performer? 

Firstly it's worth nothing that both players have played the exact same number of matches. Stats can be a bore but when it comes to strikers, there is nothing else to compare. Literally a striker is employed for one main purpose - to score goals.  And here are the results.

Ibrahimovic, with a score rate of 54% against Eto'o's feeble 34% clearly has had the better season. The Swedish star has scored 15 goals in 28 games in all competitions. Whilst Eto'o has 10 from the same number of games.

Most worrying for the African and Inter man is his lack of form since the turn of the year. True, he was on duty for a month at the African Cup of Nations. And yes, he could be excused for suffering from a little fatigue for a few weeks after.

But questions must remain on the Cameroonian's impact for Inter. The Serie A run-in and the crucial Champions League second leg tie against Chelsea will be pivotal to Eto'o's standing amongst strikers this season. Up to now, Eto'o has looked only a shadow of the player he was at Barcelona.

Ibrahimovic hasn't had it all his way though. After a blistering start at his new club, he has also slowed down, although after much critisism where he failed to score in nine straight games, he has started to enjoy the goals again.

Even though Ibrahimovic is having the better season, it seems he still has it it all to prove. 

Can he help Barcelona claim the Spanish league from a rampant Real Madrid for the second succesive year? Can he take centre stage in Europe ike Eto'o has for the past four seasons? It is, as they say, "up in the air".