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Barca told to make up mind on Eto'o

BARCELONA has to make up its mind whether to keep Samuel Eto'o or to sell him, the Cameroon striker's agent told a news conference yesterday.

"The player wants to stay and complete the last year of his contract," Jose Maria Mesalles said.

"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 Pep Guardiola did not want him. Guardiola has not told the player he is not required."

Eto'o has a contract with Barca until 2010, but Mesalles said he did not receive an offer of an extension until almost midnight on Monday when the European champion offered him a two-year extension until 2012, on the same salary. He accused Barca of leaking stories to the media that cast Eto'o in a bad light and said that if the club had reached an agreement with Manchester City to sell him, Eto'o would be happy negotiate.

"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."

Speculation over Eto'o's future escalated over the weekend when Barca president Joan Laporta said in a radio interview that Eto'o had received a "stratospheric offer" from another club that would make him the best-paid player in the world.

Speculated

It has been speculated that Manchester City is offering Eto'o a five-year contract, and Barca a transfer fee of 25 million euros plus variables. Eto'o was Barca's top scorer with 30 league goals last season as it won the Primera Liga, the King's Cup and the Champions League.

Elsewhere, Argentina striker Diego Milito completed his move to Inter Milan from Genoa on Monday, one of several proposed transfers between the two Serie A clubs.

The 30-year-old, who scored 24 league goals last season as surprise packages Genoa bagged a Europa League spot, has penned a four-year deal with the Italian champion. Genoa teammate Thiago Motta, the Brazilian midfielder, is also due to be unveiled as an Inter player in few days.

Inter coach Jose Mourinho, hoping to cling on to restless striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic and right back Maicon, is keen to buy Ricardo Carvalho and Deco from Chelsea while Twente Enschede forward Marko Arnautovic is close to signing.




 

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