Eto'o agent confirms Chelsea are leading race to sign player

Italian outlet Panorama have managed to have a few words with Samuel Eto'o's Italian agent Claudio Vigorelli about possible transfer destinations for the Cameroon international. It's being widely covered in Italy because of the possibility of a return to Inter Milan, even if the financial side of a deal would initially appear impossible for the Serie A club.

According to Panorama they gathered from their meeting with Vigorelli that a return to Inter Milan would be the option which Eto'o most favoured if he's able to leave Anzhi this summer, but Chelsea are far ahead in negotiations. Panorama say that Vigorelli told them a meeting with Chelsea over the last few days went very well but that the Stamford Bridge club won't commit to a deal for Eto'o until they have totally given up on Wayne Rooney.

 

Manchester United have made it clear through the press that Wayne Rooney isn't going anywhere, and certainly not Chelsea, so where Jose Mourinho takes his interest will soon be clear. He'll either make one huge last and very public move for Rooney or cast his eye elsewhere, it's hard to believe he meant his statement of not wanting anyone else.

What sounded like a come-and-get-me-plea from Eto'o was reported by the Daily Mail a couple of days ago and the player would appear to be keen on a move away from Anzhi Makhachkala. 

'It's entirely possible that Western media has overestimated the 'crisis' at Anzhi. The club's owner Suleiman Kerimov has decided he wants changes at the club but that doesn't mean putting everyone on the transfer list as has been reported. As reported by Izvestia in Russia, the club has stated there will be no mass sell-off, but a restructuring aimed at providing success in the long term without the hugely expensive acquisitions Anzhi have been known for. The club themselves issued a statement saying that there wouldn't be a mass clear out and player contracts would be honoured, but this has been largely ignored by excited media and unsettled players who could be looking to use the situation.

Izvestia says that Kerimov, who made his money in the financial sector, wants to keep Eto'o and has assured him that the restructuring will not affect him. If the player is to to leave, Kerimov wants him to stay during this transfer window and go at a a later date, so as not to add to the issues surrounding the football club.'

Reports in Russia claim that Eto'o has agreed to stay until at least the winter transfer window, but his agent is clearly not acting like that. Another problem for Chelsea could be that Eto'o was paid his contract by Anzhi in advance (according to The Guardian yesterday), so would either have to pay that back or get a buying club to do so.

Eto'o is reportedly paid £1.4m per month after tax and has 10 months on that deal left, paying that back would cost £14m.