Source: Telegraph
Manchester City pull out of race to sign Samuel Eto'o from Barcelona
The Cameroon international had been linked with a big-money move to Eastlands, but City manager Mark Hughes will now turn his attention to other targets.
City chief executive Garry Cook said: "Samuel Eto'o is undoubtedly a fine footballer, but the circumstances surrounding him were such that the deal could not be completed.
"We now feel the time is right to pursue other avenues and we have a clear and strategic transfer plan, which we continue to follow."
City tabled a £25 million bid for Eto'o two weeks ago, with a £200,000-a-week wage package which would have made him the best-paid player in the world.
However, the deal quickly became mired in a contractual dispute between Eto'o and the Catalan club.
The player, who is about to embark on the last year of his contract at the Nou Camp, felt he should receive a significant portion of the money City were willing to pay as he would be entitled to leave for nothing next summer.
Hughes initially signalled his intention to wait for Eto'o to resolve the wrangle. Yet, as the week has dragged on, the argument has become complicated, and City appear to have lost patience.
Eto'o is set to reject a new contract offer from Barcelona, but it is thought he also has reservations about joining a club - like City - who are not in the Champions League.
Manchester United's interest is believed to have cooled after the signing of Michael Owen, while AC Milan would struggle to match the financial packages on offer from rival clubs.
