Eto’o could still make City switch despite Barca U-turn
SAMUEL ETO’O’s agent admits the striker could yet join Manchester City – even though he has been offered a new two-year deal with Barcelona.
The Champions League winners were resigned to losing the Cameroon international after mega-rich City offered £25.5m for the 28-year-old and wages in the region of £250,000 per week.
But the Spanish giants hit back with an offer of an extended two-year contract to keep him at the Camp Nou until 2012.
A Barca statement said: “We are waiting for an answer on the offer of a two-year extension offered to Samuel Eto’o.”
Advisor Jose Maria Mesalles, however, called a press conference yesterday to clarify the situation and accused Barca of changing their stance on Eto’o’s future, claiming the club, for the second year running, had initially told the striker he was free to leave the club before then reacting to City’s bid with a renewed contract offer.
Mesalles said: “The player wants to stay and complete the last year of his contract. If Barca don’t want him they should say so, so we can pursue the player’s future in a professional manner. The club said coach manager Pep Guardiola did not want him. Guardiola has not told the player he is not required. If they have a serious offer from Man City and if they want to continue with this negotiation we could be interested. We haven’t spoken to City but if Barca have reached an agreement it shouldn’t be that difficult to reach a deal.”
Eto’o netted 35 goals last season, helping the Catalans club to an unprecedented treble of Primera Division, Copa del Rey and Champions League titles but Mesalles fears City’s offer may prove too good to turn down. “I don’t know if they really want Samuel to stay of if they just want to make money out of him,” he added.