Guardiola wants Eto´o to leave Barca

Barcelona coach Josep Guardiola admitted Monday that it would be better if Cameroon striker Samuel Eto’o, who is linked to a move to Inter Milan, were to leave the Spanish club.

“I fully understand that peole ask why. He is a wonderful player. Everyone knows there are no ‘football’ reasons. So why? It is a question of feeling,” Guardiola told a news conference as Barcelona resumed training.

“I feel that it is the best for the team, for the club, but I don’t dare say that it is best for Samuel. I am very grateful to Samuel, not for this year but for the five years he has spent here.

“The coach’s job is not to change the personality of players but it is my job to decide who to work with. It’s my responsibility and I think we need to change something.”

Eto’o is currently negotiating with Inter Milan as part of a proposed deal that would see him join the club while the Italian side’s Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic would move to Barcelona.

According to Spanish press reports the deal amounting to around 45 million euros plus Eto’o for Ibrahimovic has been agreed with the Cameroon striker’s wage demands in Italy the only matter still to be ironed out.

“At the moment Eto’o is a Barcelona player, we will see how the situation will play out,” said Guardiola.

When Guardiola took over from Frank Rijkaard last year he made it clear that he wanted Eto’o along with Ronaldinho and Deco to leave, reportedly because of problems that the African striker had caused in the dressing room.

Ronaldinho was sold to AC Milan, Deco went to Chelsea but Eto’o stayed at the club because Barcelona did not receive any convincing offers for him.

The 28-year-old, who joined the Catalan side in 2004, has a year left in his contract with Barcelona. He was the club’s top scorer in the Spanish league last season, with 30 goals.