Where Samuel Eto’o will be playing next season is still no clearer as the saga over the African Footballer of the Year’s transfer from Real Mallorca continues. Spanish giants Real Madrid have confirmed their interest in buying back the Cameroonian after several days of behind-the-scenes negotiations with Mallorca, the club to whom they sold Eto’o in 2000.
« Eto’o is a footballer that is very interesting to the future of Real Madrid, » commented Madrid’s director of players Emilio Butragueño.
« We want him. The question is, does he want to play here? »
Yet the 23-year-old striker’s chances of wearing the famous all-white strip of Real Madrid for a second time are restricted by the fact that the Spanish giants already have the full compliment of three non-European Union players.
Madrid’s original idea was to loan Eto’o out for a season, but this has not gone down well with the player.
« Samuel Eto’o will not be loaned, » the Cameroon striker said.
« I will play for any club but they have to respect me.
« I don’t want to enter into a debate but Ronaldo and Zinedine Zidane don’t get loaned and nobody is going to loan Eto’o. »
In light of the statement, Butragueño quickly said Real would revise their offer to Eto’o.
Judging from the tone of comments made by the striker who played 14 league games and three Champions League matches during his first official stint at the club between the 1998 and 2000, there will have to be plenty of revision.
« I understand the situation at Madrid; they don’t have any free spaces for non-European Union players, » Eto’o explained.
« Life is like that sometimes but I don’t have to convince anyone. »
Contract complexities
Madrid have reportedly offered Mallorca just over US$12 million for Eto’o.
While this is a lower figure than the US$18 million that Madrid’s bitter rivals Barcelona recently put on the table, the deal is better for Mallorca.
As part of the contract when they first sold Eto’o to Mallorca, Real Madrid retained the first option to buy him back but if he goes to another club, they will take 50% of the fee.
Madrid’s reluctance to say whether they wanted to exercise their right to bring Eto’o back to the Spanish capital led to Barcelona backing down from chasing Eto’o, even though the player wanted to join the Catalan club.
While one Eto’o is getting ready to leave Mallorca, another has just arrived.
The 17-year-old is expected to turn out for Mallorca’s reserve team, who play in the Spanish third division, and turned up for his first training session sporting bleached blond hair.
« I don’t want anyone to confuse me with Samuel in the dressing room, » the teenager joked.
By Phil Minshull – BBC Sport, Spain
