Andrew Flintoff will become international cricket's first freelance globe-trotter as soon as he recovers from injury next year, when he plans to play the short-form game for as many as six sides on five different continents, according to his manager, Andrew Chandler.

The news of his intentions will put Flintoff, recovering in Dubai from an operation on his right knee, on course for a showdown with Andy Flower, the England team director. Flintoff has been offered a new 12-month, incremental deal by England, but intends to play the entire season in the lucrative Indian Premier League, part of which clashes with England and Wales Cricket Board duties.

On Friday, Flower, when asked about the possibility of resting Flintoff for the tour to Bangladesh in February, said: "We wouldn't welcome a situation like that. I don't think there are going to be huge negotiations over what type of games he plays. Fred will be available for one-day international and Twenty20 cricket for England. Simple as that."

Flower said that any England player chosen for the Bangladesh games would be able to play for only three weeks of the six-week IPL. According to Chandler, however, Flintoff's new ECB offer contains no clause preventing him from playing in all IPL fixtures for the Chennai Super Kings, who will pay him a record $1.55m (£935,000). Any such conditions, Chandler said, would dissuade Flintoff from signing for the ECB.

"I'm not saying he's not going to play for England because he probably will do," Chandler said. "But he's definitely going to play for different teams during the year. The England contract does not state anything about not being able to play IPL or anything like that." He expects to discuss the offer with Flintoff today and make a decision tomorrow. England will need Flintoff judging by their desperate performances against Australia, who won again at Lord's yesterday and lead the seven-match series 4-0.

Flintoff, who will be on crutches for eight weeks, is aiming to be fit by early in the new year, and will play out his career as a freelance for a number of teams.

He will sign for Lancashire as a one-day player, and will also play four-day games if the county need him. "And if Freddie needs the practice they'll play him. It'll be for mutual benefit," said Chandler, who expects Flintoff to play for at least five teams.

"He'll play for Chennai, he might play for an Australian team, a South African team, maybe one in the West Indies. They will be Twenty20 competitions.

"If he hadn't have been injured he would have probably played in December-January in Australia. And then at the end of January, early February in South Africa. I was already negotiating with them. We were negotiating with South Australia and the Durban team, the Nashua Dolphins. And there's been an offer from Northern Transvaal as well."

The only drawback is that Flintoff might take longer than he had hoped to reach match fitness. "He's set himself the target of [being fit by] Bangladesh, though the operation has hurt him a lot more than he thought," said Chandler.

An ECB spokesperson, when asked last night about a possible conflict between Flintoff's intentions and Flower's statement, said: "Andy Flower answered those questions yesterday."