Source: Telegraph
Manchester City keen to open talks with Barcelona's Samuel Eto'o
City manager Mark Hughes, who is confident of completing a £16.5m deal with Blackburn in the coming days for Paraguayan forward Roque Santa Cruz, has earmarked Eto'o and Manchester United's Carlos Tevez as the box office signings he is determined to lure to the club this summer.
With Tevez considering his options while on holiday in Argentina this week, City have turned their attentions to finalising a deal with Barcelona for Cameroon forward Eto'o, who scored the opening goal in last month's Champions League final victory over Manchester United in Rome.
Barcelona president Joan Laporta has admitted that the European champions are keen to retain Eto'o, but the 28-year-old's failure to agree a new contract at the Nou Camp to replace the final 12 months of his current deal have left the club willing to sell at the right price.
Garry Cook, City's executive chairman, and football administrator Brian Marwood held talks with their Barcelona counterparts earlier this week, but despite making progress towards an agreement, Barcelona have yet to accept City's offer, leaving the English club unable to talk terms directly with Eto'o.
Although reports of wage demands by Eto'o of close to £200,000-a-week after tax have been dismissed as "wildly exaggerated" by City sources, the club accept they are likely to have to make Eto'o the Premier League's top earner in order to persuade him to turn his back on Champions League football.
Inter Milan and AC Milan are both eyeing a move for Eto'o, but the Italians fear that City's financial power will prove decisive when the player makes a decision on his next move.
Espanyol have claimed that City have made a move for their 16-year-old midfielder, Joan Angel Roman.
An Espanyol statement said: "Espanyol are still waiting to receive a satisfactory offer from City for the transfer of Joan Angel Roman.
"City must follow Fifa regulations, which stipulate that the clubs must agree for a move to take place.
"It is reminded that, in England, a player cannot be a professional until he is 17 years old, which means the only way is an agreement between the clubs."
