REPORTS have suggested that Arsenal are ready to rival free-spending London neighbours Chelsea in the race to sign Mallorca striker Samuel Eto’o. The Stamford Bridge outfit are reported to have agreed a fee of around £7 million with the Spanish outfit for the Cameroon international, but are holding off on completing the transfer until the future of Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink is resolved.
The Dutch hit-man has been strongly linked with a move to Real Betis, and Blues boss Claudio Ranieri seems ready to offload the former Leeds and Atletico Madrid star.
However, their delay could let in Arsenal who are believed to be ready to sacrifice Sylvain Wiltord to land Eto’o, though Spanish sources have claimed that Italian outfit Lazio are also preparing an offer for Mallorca’s prize asset.
The Gunners would offer the French international plus an additional £2 million to secure the services of the highly-rated 22-year-old African.
Wiltord has yet to agree a new contract to extend his stay at Highbury and negotiations are deadlocked leaving Arsenal keen to offload him now rather than lose him for nothing in a year’s time.
