The agent of Samuel Eto'o says the Barcelona striker will seriously consider joining Manchester City.
Following intense speculation and conflicting reports in the press in recent weeks, Josep Maria Mesalles called a press conference yesterday to clarify his client's situation.
In it, he revealed Barca have told him twice in recent weeks that Eto'o has no future at the club.
"We have had two meetings with the club and they have told us both times that Samuel is not in their plans for next season," he said. Mesalles revealed his anger at claims made by Barca president Joan Laporta regarding Eto'o's apparently astronomical wage demands.
He said: "Laporta has come out several times and said that Samuel is demanding huge quantities of money, but that is absolutely false. We have not asked Barcelona for one cent this year and we haven't spoken to Manchester City either, so to say he is asking for all that money is completely untrue. That's why I called this press conference."
Mesalles announced plans for the press conference yesterday and received the offer of a two-year contract extension for Eto'o late last night, a deal which would see the 28-year-old remain on the same wage until 2012.
"I don't know if they made the offer because they want him to stay or because they want to make money," Mesalles added. "They want 30 to 35 million euros from his sale and that is unrealistic - he has one year left on his contract and they are asking for too much, especially in a year when he would play the African Cup of Nations and then the World Cup in the summer."
Mesalles confirmed that City have offered 25million euros and says his client may yet sign for the Barclays Premier League club.
"Samuel is very disappointed with Barcelona," Mesalles continued. "If we find out for sure that they don't want him, then we will do our best to find him another club and Manchester City would be a good option.
"There are only about six or seven clubs out there who could afford Samuel, but Manchester City is one and they are a serious club."
