When two rumours collide, you can end up generating one hell of a rumour, or possibly not….
Ronaldinho, Deco and Samuel Eto’o moved a step closer to the Camp Nou exit and potential transfers to the Premier League after the new Barcelona coach, Pep Guardiola, revealed the trio are not part of his plans for next season.
All three players were below their best last season and missed large chunks of the campaign through injury. Their commitment has also been questioned amid reports of dressing-room disharmony under the previous coach, Frank Rijkaard. Guardiola, who was officially unveiled as Barcelona’s coach yesterday, looks set to wipe the slate clean by selling the trio.
“All of the players in the first-team squad last season are of a very high level,” he said. “But with the technical secretary [Txiki Begiristain] we are forming a squad and Deco, Ronaldinho and Eto’o are not in our minds.” (The Guardian)
Barcelona are hoping to capture Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor ahead of AC Milan’s advances and will test the waters with a £24 million bid.
The Spanish giants are in the market for a new frontman with coach Pepe Guardiola revealing yesterday that Samuel Eto’o, Deco and Ronaldinho do not figure in his plans and have made Adebayor one of their top targets. (Telegraph)
I am sure that Arsenal fans would love to see Samuel Eto’o at the Emirates (available for about £40m apparently), he has been linked to the club for what seems an eternity. Barcelona clearly don’t want him, and if they are willing to stump up big cash for Adebayor, maybe Arsene could haggle a deal out of the La Liga outfit. Would Arsenal fans consider such a swap as a big step in the right direction and do they think that Eto’o would jump at the chance of a move to the north London club?