Eto'O Agent: City Offer Fake

The Samuel Eto’o soap opera at Barcelona shows no signs waning after the player’s agent, Josep Maria Mesalles, revealed his displeasure with the club's bosses.

The Blaugrana yesterday offered the striker a new two-year contract extension without any changes to his existing conditions, but Mesalles wasn’t impressed with the proposal or with the way the directors have dealt with his star client.

“No one at the club can doubt Eto’o’s love and devotion to Barca,” he said during an interview with Radio Marca.

“But someone is trying to force him out through the back door, and this is something habitual at the club.”

When asked about the supposed €30 million bid from Manchester City, he simply replied, “The offer from City is fake. Barca should be more respectful to my client and they shouldn’t interfere with any possible offers that might arrive.”

Mesalles had previously acknowledged that Eto’o wants to finish his contract at the Camp Nou, which expires a year from now, and that at no time did coach Pep Guardiola ever rule the 28-year-old out of his first-team plans.