Monday 29 June 2009

Eto'o progress

The big news over the weekend is that an official bid has been made for Samuel Eto'o - of either £25m or £25.5m, depending on whom you believe. And comments of FC Barcelona President Joan Laporta suggest that the bid has been accepted, and that the transfer is subject only now to the agreement of the player:

"Eto'o has a stratospheric offer from City, which would convert him into the best-paid player in the world," Barcelona's president, Joan Laporta, said. "It's starting to become clear that he has this monster offer. He wants to stay but an offer like this is very difficult to refuse. If Eto'o accepts this stratospheric offer, we will have to bring in someone. If Eto'o accepts Manchester City's mammoth offer, we will need another striker."

Presuming that this is true, we're back into the Kaká question: can exorbitant wage offers and boundless ambition persuade a world-class player to leave one of Europe's elite clubs and come to City? Obviously with Kaká we were unsuccessful, but it ought to be kept in mind that aspects of Kaká's personal interests - religion, charity and so forth - made him particularly unlikely to accept a deal. Samuel Eto'o, however, may have fewer concerns with taking our money.

Should Eto'o take the money and join us, it would be yet another transformative moment in the ADUG revolution. He would be the first City player for forty years at least with a legitimate claim to be the best in the world in his position. His scoring record over the past few years is one of the best in Europe and last season he was the spearhead, although not really the inspiration, for the most successful Barcelona teams in history. The fascinating thing, if we do get Eto'o, will be how Hughes fits him together with Santa Cruz and Carlos Tévez. The only way I can think of is 4-3-3 - without Robinho.

3 comments:

jackblue said...

I hear he's in Paris awaiting the call. Also rumours about him renting furry Freddy Fintoff's abode in Hale village ... this might be red top drink fuelled though.

Unknown said...

I think it may be a 4-4-3 without RSC but I dont really see Tevez playing as an inside forward. If Robbie can play a more traditional wingers role (and support Lescott/Bridge) we could adopt a 4 4 2 formation but that poses the interesting question of whether Ireland and Barry are defensive enough to play in the middle on their own.

I cant believe we may well line up against Blackburn with a front line of Robbie, Eto'o and Tevez...somebody pinch me.

satis said...

The transfer is seeming increasingly unlikely this afternoon but while there's still hope, let's pretend. I think RSC is for away games. We would see a Robinho, Tevez, Eto'o front line but usually only at home, where 4-3-3 is entirely possible.