Tottenham in talks with Barcelona over Eto´o – report

English first division side Tottenham are in talks with Barcelona over the Spanish giant's Cameroonian international striker Samuel Eto'o, sports daily Marca reported Wednesday.

“Tottenham's next target is clear, it is Samuel Eto'o,” the newspaper said, adding the English club has already approached Barcelona “to sound out the possibility of carrying out this recruitment”.

Barcelona “has shown itself to be more than welcoming and the two sides have agreed to meet next week to negotiate the transfer,” the newspaper added without citing sources.

The Catalan club will “not start discussions below the bar of 35 million euros (54 million dollars)” for the three-time African Player of the Year, it added.

“For Barcelona the sale of one of its stars is important as it would allow it to finance the shake-up that it wants to carry out in the locker-room” following its second straight season without a trophy, the newspaper said.

Last month Eto'o, who has a contract with Barcelona until 2010, threatened to quit the Spanish giants next season if their title drought continues.

“If things carry on next season like this, well, I want to win titles and if I can't do that here, then it will be an another club,” he told Catalan radio station RAC1, adding if he left the club he would also leave Spain.

The 27-year-old joined Barcelona from Mallorca in 2004 for a transfer fee of 24 million euros.