Eto'o willing to join Manchester United

British tabloid News of the World claims that Barcelona forward and Cameroon international Samuel Eto'o (28) wants to join Manchester United and is willing to lower his wage demands for that.

Despite the signing of Michael Owen, the English champions could still be interested in Eto'o, who would only want to join a European top club and would be willing to accept a year salary of around 9 million euro. A source close to the player is quoted by the tabloid as saying: "Samuel has not been convinced by a move to a mid-table side in the Premier League and neither will he sign a new deal at Barca."

Greater Manchester regional newspaper Manchester Evening News meanwhile claims that a transfer to Manchester City has become more likely after Barcelona president Joan Laporta has indicated to sources in Spain that he may be ready to agree a pay-off to Eto'o or to renegotiate the transfer fee so that part of City's offer goes to the striker like stipulated in his contract.

The English Premier League club would already have agreed a 30 million euro° transfer fee with Barcelona but the sticking point would until now have been a bonus clause in Eto'o's contract with Barcelona which entitles him to compensation if he's sold before his contract expires next summer.

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Barcelona is willing to accept a 25,5 million euro° bid by Manchester City. This would be the only formal offer Barcelona has received until now. The English club would be ready to offer Eto'o a year salary of 10 million euro net and not a salary that would make him the best paid player in the world as Barcelona president Laporta had previously stated.

Read more:
Club waiting for reply Eto'o to renewal offer
Eto'o has found a house to live in Manchester
Laporta comments on the transfer market

Bolton could try for Gudjohnsen

Greater Manchester regional newspaper Manchester Evening News claims that English permier League club Bolton Wanderers could be interested in Barcelona attacker and Iceland international Eidur Gudjohnsen (30).

Bolton manager Gary Megson is thought to have enquired about the former Bolton player last year and Bolton might now have been alerted to Gudjohnsen's statements that he could return to England (read more here). West Ham, Blackburn and Tottenham are also said to have been linked with Gudjohnsen, whose contract expires next summer.

Read more:
Gudjohnsen still didn't make a decision on future
Jaaskelainen is on the list
Gudjohnsen will most likely leave

Manchester City monitoring Eto'o and Henry

Greater Manchester regional newspaper Manchester Evening News claims that Manchester City is still closely monitoring the situation of Barcelona forwards Samuel Eto'o (28) and Thierry henry (31) and could act if the players become officially available during the summer transfer window.

The English Premier League has neverthless not yet made an official bid for the Cameroonian striker, for whom Barcelona could possibly ask a transfer price of close to 40 million euro° (read more here).

British sports site BBC Sport meanwhile nevertheless also claims that Manchester City and Barcelona officials met on Monday to discuss the possible transfer of Eto'o despite the meeting being described by Manchester City manager Mark Hughes as a contact-building exercise (read more here). Eto'o is said to be rated 45 million euro°.

Mark Hughes insisted at a press conference yesterday that Manchester City and Barcelona haven't been talking about a transfer of Eto'o but confirmed that there has been a meeting between Barcelona president Joan Laporta and Manchester City chief executive Garry Cook:

"I thought that was clarified. It was basically a meeting between Garry Cook and Laporta of Barcelona basically to try and build relationships with clubs at all levels business-wise and football-wise. I think the explanation of the meeting was well documented in the papers. It wasn't talking about individuals, it was about talking about relationships with both clubs.

People will always mis-interpret the message that we are trying to put out there and make their own interpretation of what the meeting was about, but it wasn't to discuss players, it was to discuss things in the future that could complement both clubs. We still have ambitious transfer targets, but that isn't the reason why Garry Cook and Laporta spoke on Monday."

Read more:
Barcelona offers Eto'o to English clubs
Manchester City and Barcelona holding talks