Man City summer transfer circus

[cannotmakeit]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/foot...ty/8022795.stm

The Man city transfer circus has started again, they will be trying to sign everyone again.

Man City discuss Eto'o with Barca

Eto'o has scored 32 goals in 42 games so far this season


Manchester City and Barcelona officials met on Monday and discussed the possible transfer of Samuel Eto'o to Eastlands, BBC Sport understands.

Although it was billed as a contact-building exercise, the chance of a deal for £40m-rated Cameroon striker Eto'o formed part of their discussions.

The 28-year-old was transfer-listed by Barcelona last season but has found his best form under new boss Pep Guardiola.

Eto'o has given no indication he would be willing to leave the Catalan giants.

In February, he said he wanted to stay at Barcelona beyond the end of his contract in 2010.

"Of course I want to continue, I'm very happy and see no reason to leave," he told TV station Canal Catala.

"I'm going to stay to the end of my contract and if the club want me, I would like to stay longer."

606: DEBATE
This is the type of player you should go for... Eto'o is more than world class

The Ghost of Sonny Anderson
Manchester City certainly have the ambition and financial clout to lure the likes of Eto'o since their takeover last September by the Abu Dhabi United Group, backed by Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

But the club will not figure in next season's Champions League and are by no means guaranteed a place in the new Europa League.

Officials are also likely to tread carefully in any fresh transfer bids for big-name players following the acrimony over their failed move for AC Milan's Kaka.

Manchester City's executive chairman Garry Cook was criticised after accusing Milan of "bottling" a £100m deal for the Brazilian star.

[-V-]

Absolutely no chance of Etoo agreeing to that move

[Darth Marty]

I dont know, id heard thet Eto'o was a money grabbing ******* so who knows. If City manage to grab a few other "stars" then maybe that will influence him.

[Neil Young]

I dont know, id heard thet Eto'o was a money grabbing ******* so who knows. If City manage to grab a few other "stars" then maybe that will influence him.

I don't know - that could be true.

However I do know that people in Africa can have a slightly different take on money and what it brings. Superficially it all sounds the same - I want lots of money, I want a big car, etc. - but there is another side to it. Services in large parts of Africa are very different from what we have in the West. There is no real security and officials are often corrupt. Wealth brings security and status in a way which is quite different from how it does here.

In my limited experience of Africa, that sort of approach to personal wealth and (local) power is much more akin to something out of the Godfather (without resting on crime and violence) than the likes of Fred Goodwin and his take-the-money-and-run attitude. You get respect from the community and they look up to you and if you don't have money then you have little or nothing to fall back on.

I'm not saying Africa is always like that - it was just something I observed while working there briefly and hearing young men talk about their ambitions - and I'm not saying Samuel Eto'o is like that but it was an eye-opener for me and worth considering IMO.

[Darth Marty]

So then, will he go to city?

[Woobus]

Will depend on who they get as manager, if they get a great one then they might be able to convince some players to come.

[Parm]

I can see City getting either over the hill type superstars (say Figo for instance) who are looking for one final payday

or getting greedy beggers like Robhinho

they are ruining a good club who have put a lot of time and effort into developing a first class youth academy which has produced some really good young players. Buying in expensive (and distinctly average) foreign players isnt the way to go.