Eto’o staying at the Camp Nou?

Samuel Eto’o has looked like leaving Barcelona all summer but it appears he may now be staying where he is.

Although coach Pep Guardiola has said little about the Cameroon international after telling him that he was not in his plans, the club president Joan Laporta has spoken in glowing terms about the star striker.

Laporta has been quoted as saying,

“I don’t think the issue with Samuel is irreversible or definitive. We need to look at things carefully, his recovery both in mental and physical terms will influence the club’s final decision. Eto’o is showing total commitment and that part of his character is something we all like to see. He has had a very positive attitude during the pre-season. At one time we did think the most convenient thing was to change things in order to renew the team, especially in terms of the most important players, but I understand that nothing in this world is set in stone.”

Whether this praise is genuine or simply to try to entice other clubs to bid for Eto’o, I’m not sure. Whether Guardiola feels the same way about his temperamental forward is also not entirely clear.

Laporta did go on to lavish praise on Guardiola’s work with the new-look squad who enjoyed an easy pre-season tour of Scotland.

“What Guardiola has done is bring some order to things and that is important. He has won the respect of the players with his actions.”

Of course, the appointment of Guardiola by Laporta was something of a surprise and many people expected a more experienced and well known man to be given the role. Laporta will do everything he can to back his man.

It may take a little more than a 6-0 win over Hibernian to convince the Camp Nou faithful!

(Source – BBC)