Source: Eurosport
Barca frustrated as Eto'o saga goes on
Barcelona president Joan Laporta claims he is having trouble getting in contact with Samuel Eto'o as he seeks to resolve the Cameroon international's future.
Eto'o has only one year left on his existing contract with Barca and where he will be plying his trade next season has been the subject of intense speculation over the last few weeks.
"I've called him a couple of times, but he hasn't picked up the phone. I don't know if he has changed his number or what," Laporta was quoted as saying on TVE's '59 segundos' programme late on Wednesday night.
Barca insist they are keen to keep the prolific hitman and have offered him a two-year deal, but the 28-year-old has also attracted interest from elsewhere with Laporta revealing last month that Manchester City had made a "stratospheric" contract offer to the player.
There has been no recent news on Eto'o's situation though, and Laporta claims he has not been able to speak to the former Real Mallorca and Real Madrid striker.
"The situation has saddened me because we've always had a clear and direct relationship," added Laporta. "We offered him two years and we're waiting for his answer. I would like to be able to talk to him calmly."
Meanwhile, Laporta insisted his side's lack of transfer activity so far this summer is nothing to panic about.
While arch rivals Real Madrid have already splashed out close to £200million on Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka, Karim Benzema and Raul Albiol, things have been much quieter at the Nou Camp.
Although they have been linked with a host of players, including David Villa, Franck Ribery, Javier Mascherano and Filipe Luis, Barca have yet to dip into the transfer market. Laporta confirmed they are looking at strengthening the squad that won the treble last season but insists he is "calm" about the lack of new faces so far.
"We need a few small finishing touches: a left-back, a centre-back, a midfielder and a striker," he said. "We already have a very competitive team, young and of high quality."
