Eto'o rejected offers from Lyon and Kuruvchi

Asked about the rumours having linked him with a summer move to Olympique Lyon (read more here), Barcelona forward and Cameroonian international Samuel Eto'o (27) admitted in an interview with French television station TF1 that he had received an offer from the French champions:

"Lyon made a serious effort to sign me. I talked with officials of the club and was tempted. At that time it wasn't possible but you cannot exclude anything for the future."

Regarding the rumpours linking him with Uzbek club Kuruvchi (read more here), Eto'o said they made him an offer that blew him away: "They offered me 25 million dollar to stay there for two or three months. I hallucinated with the proposal but as a player of the Cameroonian national team I have to be at the highest possible level and therefore I have to play with a big club. I couldn't accept that offer."

Read more:

Barcelona proposes Eto'o-Benzema swap

Why was Eto'o yesterday in Uzbekistan?

Tottenham, Chelsea and Inter looking at Eto'o

Why was Eto'o yesterday in Uzbekistan?

Barcelona forward and Cameroonian international Samuel Eto'o (27) was yesterday in Uzbekistan, an Asian country who shares borders with Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Turkmenistan.

Due to some unclear messages on the official website of Uzbek club Kuruvchi and statements made by Kuruvchi officials, there was since Monday a wave of speculation about an offer the Uzbek club would make to Barcelona and a record contract proposal for Eto'o. Some even claimed that Eto'o came to sign his contract and be presented.

The principal reason for Eto'o to travel to Uzbekistan was to give a master-class to some youth players of Kuruvchi. Josep Maria Mesalles, the agent of Eto'o, already made that clear before the trip in an interview with Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo:

"I can't say anything about a transfer, I can only confirm that Samuel will give a master-class at this club. I won't say anything to the club's officials for having leaked some information about a possible transfer. If I would do that, I would show the whole world that they were lying. And I don't think that's a wise thing."

Eto'o nevertheless confirmed yesterday at a press conference in Uzbekistan that he had received an offer from Kuruvchi and that he would take it into consideration when deciding on his future:

"Kuruvchi is interested and that's one of the reasons why I'm here, to know more about the people of the club and about this wonderful country. I have received a formal offer and I will think about it. At this moment I have several good offers from interesting clubs and I will choose what's best for me. When I have made my decision, I will inform Kuruvchi first about it."

French sports paper L'Equipe, who seemed to have good inside information all week long, claims that Eto'o has rejected a dazzling 50 million euro° offer (40 million euro salary and 10 million euro signing bonus) to play for one season with the leader of the Uzbek competition.

I don't know a lot of things about Kuruvchi or Uzbekistan...

but th€ f€w thing$ I know pl€a$€d m€ a lot

Read more:
Eto'o wants to talk with Guardiola
Eto'o could stay
Guardiola's first day at the office