City's 'monster' offer fails to lure Samuel Eto'o (Guardian)

Manchester City have been given a painful reminder that their huge financial riches may still not be enough to lure all their ambitious targets after Samuel Eto'o's representatives informed the club today he had chosen not to accept their offer to become the best-paid player in the Premier League.

His agent will explain his motives at a press conference at the AC Diplomatic hotel in Barcelona tomorrow, uppermost among them being that Eto'o wants to continue playing at the highest level rather than at a club who are still in an early phase of a money-driven attempt to become, ultimately, potential Champions League winners.

Well done Eto'o, you've gone up in my estimations after this, let's hope others (Tevez) follow your example.

Edited June 30, 200917 yr by sweet waffle

There is more than money in the footballing life - that's ambition. How old is Eto'o? He can't look back on his career, a player of his quality, and see the last medal he won was in 2009. If he mvoed to Citeh that would be the case.

There is more than money in the footballing life - that's ambition. How old is Eto'o? He can't look back on his career, a player of his quality, and see the last medal he won was in 2009. If he mvoed to Citeh that would be the case.

He's 28.

Eto'o has not snubbed us. We have just listened to his agents press conference in Barcelona where he has basically stated that Barcelona must admit they want him to leave, therefore entitling Eto'o to his loyalty bonus. The British press jumped the gun yesterday and are now all starting to backtrack. I do not think we will get him but to say we have been snubbed is naive.

Their relationship is all but severed in a Robinho/real madrid situation.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/...e.html?ITO=1490

Daily Mail have changed their tune

Samuel Eto'o's agent has paved the way for the striker's move to Manchester City after hitting out at Barcelona's handling of the summer transfer wrangle.

Josep Maria Mesalles, the Cameroon star's representative, today said Eto'o was happy to stay at the Nou Camp but would not stand in the way if the European champions wanted to cash in.

Mesalles says he had agreed to 'work in co-operation' to get the best for both his player and Barcelona.

Eto'o's camp is thought to be angered by Barcelona president Joan Laporta openly talking of bids from Manchester City and Mesalles said: 'He was rated at 30-35million euros. I don't think this is a realistic price as his contract ends next year.

'We have been told about the offer from City and I tell (the Barcelona board) that if they reach an agreement with them, I don't have a problem dealing with the English club.

'Eto'o wants to stay at Barca, but we will not hinder the club if they seek his departure.'

Here is a full summary of the press conference. Expect sky to quote it in around an hour and use it as breaking news.

Agent Eto'o Press Conference: Live Coverage

Josep Maria Mesalles, the agent of Barcelona forward and Cameroon international Samuel Eto'o, has said at a press conference that the player didn't yet talk about figures with Manchester City an that all figures put forward by the media are as a consecuence false.

The club has been spreading figures that aren't true and has leaked to the press that they were about to offer a renewal, while the player nor the agent had heard anything from the club.

The agent has been told that Guardiola and the club don't want Eto'o anymore. The player had told the club he wouldn't have any problem to continue at Barcelona earning the same wages. Barcelona had offered the player to renew with a lower salry. Last night, a new offer came.

Core of the message: the club has been speaking with a double tongue and has been misleading the fans, using the media and twisting facts.

The agent is now showing sms messages he received from club officials. This means war, baby!

sms from Sanllehí, 29 June, 11:35 pm: "the Club has decided to offer you the renewal of Eto'o for two more years, keeping the current salary of the player"

Eto'o wants to stay and doesn't understand the whole situation.

The club would have been acting like this because someone don't want Eto'o anymore at the club and Mesalles would be surprised if that person would be Guardiola.

Barcelona doesn't want the player and has been spreading lies to the press making Eto'o look greedy, that's why Eto'o doesn't want to renew at this point.

Messales points at Manel Estiarte, confident of Guardiola, as the person who has been constantly leaking to the press.

Eto'o went on holiday thinking that he would be able to continue because he had the suport of the coach and the squad.

There's no offer by Manchester City, this information has been leaked to the press to put pressure on Eto'o to leave.

Eto'o wants to stay but he won't boycott the club if they are looking for another club.

In a first meeting, the club told that they wanted to work on the best solution for all parties. Later, they said they didn't want him anymore and started to look at the offers.

The club wanted to sell Eto'o for 30-35 million euro, which the agent thinks is too much for a player with only one year left, that no club will pay that.

The agent said that if Barcelona would reach an agreement with City, he was willing to start negotiations with the English club.

Mesalles didn't yet talk with City, so if the president talks about a supposed record offer, he's not telling the truth. It's also false that Eto'o has asked half the transfer fee, like media have been suggesting.

Eto'o wouldn't mind staying, he feels he could still be useful for the club.

The agent doesn't think the coach has made the decision that casused all this. Eto'o didn't hear anything of Guardiola since the end of the season.

Barcelona played a double game by using the media to damage the image of Eto'o and to come out as the good ones

There is another press conference scheduled for four o'clock. Barca are dicking everyone around.

Edited June 30, 200917 yr by bluemoon

PMSL at Sky.

Love the quotes they are ignoring to put a negative spin on it. Made my day.

Yet they have this on their website about Eto'o wanting to stay.

"If they have a serious offer from Manchester City, and if they want to continue with this negotiation we could be interested," Mesalles added.

"We haven't spoken to City but if Barca have reached an agreement it shouldn't be that difficult to reach a deal."

Edited June 30, 200917 yr by bluemoon

He'd rather stay at Barca...sounds like a snub to me!! Why would ther get rid of Eto'o anyway...who else is gonna score them another 20 goals next season?

News coming in that Barca are about to offer Eto'o a contract extension, would be stupid to sell Eto'o in my opinion since henry,messi and him form the best attack in the world.

Laporta has stated he wants Eto'o to stay, City should focus on getting the Tevez deal sorted. Tevez, Robinho and if Santa Cruz gets his shooting boots on it will still be a fantastic strike force.

He'd rather stay at Barca...sounds like a snub to me!! Why would ther get rid of Eto'o anyway...who else is gonna score them another 20 goals next season?

Ok mate. You wont of been following this as closely as I have.

He is publicly stating he wants to stay at Barca as they owe him 13 million euros in a loyalty bonus. The agent is asking them publicly to come out and say they want to sell him. If they do he is entitled to his bonus. Read what i have posted above again.

The new contract terms are on exactly the same money he is currently earning. For a player in as stronger position as Eto'o its a joke. If he rejects it it shows he wants to leave and Barca will claim they dont have to pay the loyalty fee. its a very big game of cat and mouse at the moment.

Well the breaking news is Barca have offered him a two year extension so it doesn't look like he'll get his way with them saying he wants to leave

Well the breaking news is Barca have offered him a two year extension so it doesn't look like he'll get his way with them saying he wants to leave

Exactly. The contract offer was put to him late last night, by text message. Deadly serious that.

Note that we havent waded into this deal. At our end we have done everything right but this is just public bitch slapping. Can anyone realistically see him staying there?

Exactly. The contract offer was put to him late last night, by text message. Deadly serious that.

Note that we havent waded into this deal. At our end we have done everything right but this is just public bitch slapping. Can anyone realistically see him staying there?

Couldn't give a two bob bit where he goes as long as it's not to us

Hmm, with Eto'o, Bellamy and Robinho on their books for next season, City would certainly have their work cut out keeping the egos happy.

I predict a tantrum or 12, however well Hughes manages it...

Couldn't give a two bob bit where he goes as long as it's not to us

Not a fan then?

I would love him at City, more and more quotes are now appearing. Here is another 'snub.' "In theory he wanted to play in the Champions League, but if Manchester City have an offer accepted, we would be delighted to go there," he said.

"In theory he wanted to play in the Champions League, but if Manchester City have an offer accepted, we would be delighted to go there," he said.

If the stories that I've heard about his proposed salary are true, then I'm not surprised at all that he would be delighted to go to Manchester City. His salary has been estimated to be around €250k-€300k per week and a signing on fee of around €15mil. If the bid is anywhere near those sums, I'm not surprised he'd be delighted to sign the deal.

Ok mate. You wont of been following this as closely as I have.

He is publicly stating he wants to stay at Barca as they owe him 13 million euros in a loyalty bonus. The agent is asking them publicly to come out and say they want to sell him. If they do he is entitled to his bonus. Read what i have posted above again.

The new contract terms are on exactly the same money he is currently earning. For a player in as stronger position as Eto'o its a joke. If he rejects it it shows he wants to leave and Barca will claim they dont have to pay the loyalty fee. its a very big game of cat and mouse at the moment.

What puzzles me most is what Man City are going to do with him. Tevez and Santa up front? Tevez and Eto'o? Santa and Eto'o? Robinho? Wright-Phillips? Bellamy? I'm thinking there'll be a lot of unhappy players at City next year.

What puzzles me most is what Man City are going to do with him. Tevez and Santa up front? Tevez and Eto'o? Santa and Eto'o? Robinho? Wright-Phillips? Bellamy? I'm thinking there'll be a lot of unhappy players at City next year.

Don't forget Evans, Benjani, Elano and Petrov!!!

The way Man City are going they'll have more strikers than an 80s coal mine.

Edited June 30, 200917 yr by sweet waffle

Don't forget Evens, Benjani, Elano and Petrov!!!

The way Man City are going they'll have more strikers than an 80s coal mine.

what kind of formation will they play - 1-1-8?

what kind of formation will they play - 1-1-8?

i thought they gave you phone numbers?

What puzzles me most is what Man City are going to do with him. Tevez and Santa up front? Tevez and Eto'o? Santa and Eto'o? Robinho? Wright-Phillips? Bellamy? I'm thinking there'll be a lot of unhappy players at City next year.

Well if we get him then we will be moving a fair few on I would imagine. 4 top forwards is what we need. Tevez, RSC, Robinho and Eto'o. They will all be rotating around depending on opposition. Robinho may have to be benched against the likes of Stoke. It will be good options to have.

Evans is as good as gone, Benjani wont last, Bellamy is being linked with 'appy 'arry although to be fair to Bellamy in his first press conference he did state he accepted that he would have to settle for a lesser role from the bench. Jo is f**king useless and will probably be given to Golem as a sweetener for Lescott.

Studge has gone to you and Caicedo is likely to be loaned out. Eto'o is clearly not a must buy though. I am happy with what we have got and are likely to get. If he signs it will be astonishing but I am yet to be convinced, however I do believe that "the snub" is well wide of the mark. His agent has also stated he would be delighted to sign for us.

I am pleased we are letting them fight it out amongst themselves and should it go wrong, well publicly we have acted perfectly. We needed to after the whole kaka debacle. Its just a shame its gone public and this loyalty fee was not sorted earlier.

You may as well get used to it being called snubbed Bluemoon as that is the way it will always be portrayed until you actually sign a couple of big names this summer. We still have City fans who claim Robinho snubbed us for you and that is as accurate a reflection of what happened as Eto'o sbubbing you.

Eto'o is a snake, and it doesnt surprise me that he wants to hold his club hostage for money because of some percieved slight. This is the same plank who said he would "make us pay" for not buying him by scoring against us in the CL. The same player whose sour grapes led him to condemn a steward as a racist because he didnt like losing. Hopefully he refuses a move and Barca stick him in the reserves or something. It will never happen, but he is a scumbag

He is a known locker room cancer, and that is reportedly why Guardiola can do without all the goals he scores. If they sell Eto'o and buy David Villa they will see very little drop off in scoring, if any.

Eto'o was also the man who wanted was entertaining the idea of transfering to Budyonkor in Tashkent last summer, so I am sure he will have no real quibbles about moving to City. But to make him the highest paid player in the world is insanity. City should just stick with Tevez and let that be that.

You may as well get used to it being called snubbed Bluemoon as that is the way it will always be portrayed until you actually sign a couple of big names this summer. We still have City fans who claim Robinho snubbed us for you and that is as accurate a reflection of what happened as Eto'o sbubbing you.

exactly what I was about to write! Every time we have failed in a bid to sign a player, its a 'snub'. Hell, Maldini didnt wanna become a coach here and that was a snub.

You may as well get used to it being called snubbed Bluemoon as that is the way it will always be portrayed until you actually sign a couple of big names this summer. We still have City fans who claim Robinho snubbed us for you and that is as accurate a reflection of what happened as Eto'o sbubbing you.

Oh i know, I just thought i would keep people on here informed of facts and not sensationalist headlines.

Some city fans are thick as pig sh*t though. We all know what happened with Robinho, I remember my posts on here being completely stunned. I think the pic in my avatar contributed alot to that deal going wrong:s.

Barca have now put on their official website that they are waiting on an answer from Eto'o on the new contract offered. Obviously they are waiting on a reply via text message.

Who knows which way it will go, but there is probably a long way to run. Personally I would rather a deadline be set. Our terms have been laid out to him, he is clearly happy with those, hence the "delighted" comment, but thirteen million is alot in loyalty bonus to walk away from. The problem is. Barca cant get Villa without the full transfer fee. I can only speculate that they are hoping we increase our offer to cover the bonus. We may have the money but we should stick to our principles and if it collapses as a result then fine. Why are the continental clubs so hard to deal with?

Why are the continental clubs so hard to deal with?

Like us before your benefactors came along these guys know they can screw us for evey cent they can. Welcome to our world, one of utter frustration mingled with lots of hope.

Eto'o is a snake, and it doesnt surprise me that he wants to hold his club hostage for money because of some percieved slight. This is the same plank who said he would "make us pay" for not buying him by scoring against us in the CL. The same player whose sour grapes led him to condemn a steward as a racist because he didnt like losing. Hopefully he refuses a move and Barca stick him in the reserves or something. It will never happen, but he is a scumbag

He is a known locker room cancer, and that is reportedly why Guardiola can do without all the goals he scores. If they sell Eto'o and buy David Villa they will see very little drop off in scoring, if any.

Eto'o was also the man who wanted was entertaining the idea of transfering to Budyonkor in Tashkent last summer, so I am sure he will have no real quibbles about moving to City. But to make him the highest paid player in the world is insanity. City should just stick with Tevez and let that be that.

exactly what I was about to write! Every time we have failed in a bid to sign a player, its a 'snub'. Hell, Maldini didnt wanna become a coach here and that was a snub.

Didn't know any of that...hope he does go to city then... make them implode!