United Eye Eto'o Swoop
(Soccer365.com) - Manchester United have reportedly taken the first steps towards signing Samuel Eto'o for £27million this summer.
According to the Daily Mail Sir Alex Ferguson has identified the Barcelona striker as his number one transfer target as he begins his quest for three major signings in the close season.
It is understood Israeli agent Pini Zahavi, who has links in Barcelona, is behind the deal while Eto'o's friendship with Rio Ferdinand is also a factor in United's favour.
Only last week the United boss spoke of his desire to add more pace to his attack and the Cameroon international clearly fits the bill.
"Speed is important to us," said Ferguson as he talked about his plans for next season's title defence and Champions League challenge.
"At the moment that's what we're looking at. Whether we can get more speed."
Eto'o has been unsettled at the Catalan giants since his fall out with coach Frank Rijkaard and Brazilian star Ronaldinho after he had just returned from four months out with a knee injury.
At the time he was accused of refusing to play and wounds between the trio have never fully repaired.
In recent weeks however, Eto'o has let his football do most of the talking having scored 10 goals in his last 14 games and this kind of form has sparked interest from a host of European clubs.
AC Milan, Liverpool and Chelsea are also rumoured to be in the hunt for the three-times African Player of the Year but sources indicate he would prefer a move to Old Trafford.
Assuming Ferguson manages to also land Bayern Munich's Owen Hargreaves for £20m, United will have spent nearly all of their summer budget of £50m on just two players.
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Comments
I'm a big fan of Eto and an even bigger United fan and if they do get him it would be great for the club. You put him, Rooney, Ronaldo, etc.. and they'll have an even more amazing attack.
Posted by: frosty | May 9, 2007 12:48 PM
Yes of course Eto's a great player but still I think it would be a waste of money on United's part. Eto is not one to mince words & I'm sure the first time he was sent to the bench he would complain & that would be the last time for a manager like Sir Alex. Those two would be a poison mixture for sure. Fergie doesn't cotton to player's that complain a lot. He has a track record of getting rid of players' like that.
Posted by: Dave | May 9, 2007 01:00 PM
Eto'o should come to united. He is the kind of player that you can count on any day of the year in terms of putting the ball in the old onion bag. He is the one thing that united need to reclaim the title as champions of Europe.
Posted by: bredred | May 9, 2007 01:26 PM
My goodness if this guy joins United, it would create possibly the most dangerous attack in Europe. Rooney, Eto'o, Ronaldo, Giggs, Carrick, and Hargreaves, that's a nice lineup.
Posted by: Ghost Rider | May 9, 2007 02:52 PM
He's a troubled young lad. The first time he would protest anything the manager did or spoke up against the manager there would be the last time. I feel it would be a bad union of this player with United's manager.
Posted by: SUNNO))) | May 9, 2007 04:19 PM
Hargreaves hasn't been signed yet.
Posted by: Anonymous | May 9, 2007 04:21 PM
eto'o is the greatest fprward in the world and it is alredy in the best team in the world why would he want to sign with man untd.?
Posted by: anonymous | May 9, 2007 05:29 PM
weren't the plans for hargreaves dropped? i think i heard that somewhere
Posted by: john | May 9, 2007 06:09 PM
Huh. This puzzles me. Why eto'o I mean he is a great player and everything but he is would not do well with Man. U. he may be fast but they already have enough speed. What they need is a new goalkeeper. They should sign Gianluigi Buffon. That would be a smarter move. They already have a great squad except for in between the posts. Van der Sar used to be an exceptional keeper but now he has had a streak of making more problems for his defense by batting the ball away instead of punching it. But hey you can sit around and talk about this all day but whatever people think it is still up to Sir Alex and Man. U.
Posted by: Keeeper King | May 9, 2007 09:20 PM
I've been saying this for the past year. Eto is a very good player and would fit in well with the team. I'm sure he would speak with Sir Alex before coming and it will be made very clear to him what is expected. Better yet, he is probably very aware of Sir Alex and his stance on protesting players. I also think we should get Frank Ribery. He would work well with Ronaldo and Giggs.
Posted by: Jay | May 10, 2007 08:55 AM
First of all Anonymous, Hargreaves has expressed he wants to move to United. John, the plans have been put on hold until summer by Bayern. Anonymous, Barcelona is NOT the best team in the world anymore (let's not start that discussion again). Also, there are issues on that team in the locker room. The players are bickering. Keeper, United are looking to replace older players like Scholes, Giggs, Neville, Solskjaar. These guys have been the core of the team for a decade, but they are getting long in the tooth. United need to find successors for these players. Vidic, Carrick, Ronaldo, Rooney, and whoever they bring in are all a part of that process.
Posted by: Ghost Rider | May 10, 2007 01:30 PM
Ghost Rider i agree. But they should find talent that isn't so expensive and I still say they need a new keeper.
Posted by: Keeeper King | May 10, 2007 05:24 PM
Send their old dogs' out to pasture. Pass on signing Eto. Sign the little French player & the Bulgarian & sign some proven & battle tested defenders'. Cut the keeper loose & sign some experienced battle tested defenders' as that's what stopped them in Champions League play this year. The lack of class defenders' after the injuries they had in the back cost them dearly.
Posted by: SUNN O))) | May 10, 2007 07:41 PM
Dave you are right, Eto and Fergie together gonna be a very good poison!But on the other so side it will be good for Eto to join a rich and big club in the world.
Posted by: Revelian S. N | May 11, 2007 08:39 AM
I have been so bweidlered in the past but now it all makes sense!
Posted by: Lola | January 6, 2012 05:28 PM