Transfer Zone

Report: Barcelona To Sell Eto’o And Buy Villa

The media in Spain have speculated that the Blaugrana have come up with a plan to nab ‘El Guaje’.

Jun 23, 2009 9:38:49 PM

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Samuel Eto'o - Barcelona-Wisla (Marca)

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Barcelona

Barcelona may be reportedly on a tight transfer budget this summer, but that will not stop them from coming back and having another crack at signing David Villa.

Despite Valencia president Manuel Llorente recently declaring that the striker is no longer for sale, bar a “scandalous offer”, Onda Cero believes that the Blaugrana are hoping to tempt the troubled Mestalla outfit with a decent proposal.

Sport, meanwhile, is confident that Barca will be in pole position to land ‘El Guaje’, when and if they make an official bid, because arch rivals Real Madrid had only recently affirmed, via director-general Jorge Valdano, that they are now out of the running for Villa’s signature as the two clubs are unable to break the impasse over his transfer fee.

The ‘Holy Trinity’ at the Camp Nou - Pep Guardiola, Txiki Begiristain and Joan Laporta - have already acknowledged that they consider Villa a vital part of their future plans, while a large section of the Catalan-based press believe that the Che hitman would prefer Barca over Madrid, in the event that the two rivals collide again for his signature.

The only issue for Barcelona now is their budget. ‘El Tricampeon’ have no more than €35 million of their own money to spend this summer, but they are ready to rectify that with the sale of Samuel Eto’o.

According to TV3, the Cameroonian is only valued between €30-35m, a significantly inferior amount compared to his true market appraisal due to his contract expiry (June 2010), but it will be more than enough to fund the bulk of the €40m bid Barca are expected to offer Valencia.

KS Leong, Goal.com