Madrid presidential candidate approached Eto'o

Catalan sports weekly paper Gol claims that former Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez, who is expected to be a candidate in the Madrid presidential elections in the summer, has given orders to his team to sound out Barcelona forward and Cameroon international Samuel Eto'o (27).

One of Pérez' closest staff members would have met with Josep Maria Mesalles, the agent of Eto'o, to ask if the Cameroon striker would want to join his bid.

Madrid sports tabloid As claims that Barcelona wants to renew the contract of Eto'o, who is ready to hold talks, but only at the end of the season because he now wants to focus on the rest of the season (read more here).

Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola, who last summer said Eto'o could leave the club, has changed his opinion because of the performances and the attitude of the player and the technical staff is now in favour of a renewal of the contract that expires in the summer of 2010.

Asked about his statements that he would like to finish his career at Mallorca (read more here), Eto'o has meanwhile repeated this wish in an interview with Mallorca local radio station Ràdio Mania and the club's official website: "I insist that I like this club a lot, it's in my heart. I insist that I would like to finish my football career playing one or two years at Mallorca. Whatever division they play in, although hopefully it will be the first."

Read more:
First positive meeting on Eto'o renewal
Could Eto'o join Real Madrid?
Eto'o postpones renewal negotiations