Manchester City have failed in their latest bid to add to the summer signings of Roque Santa Cruz from Blackburn, £18m, and Gareth Barry, £12m.

Samuel Eto’o, going or staying?

Manchester City have quit talks with Barcelona over the transfer of Cameroon international striker Samuel Eto’o.

The transfer had looked likely to go ahead once Barcelona told the 28-year-old Eto’o they were prepared to let him leave the Nou Camp. Eto’o seemed content with an offer of wages of up to £250,000 per week, which would have made him the highest-paid player in the world.

However, the transfer started to fall apart when a contractual dispute between Eto’o and Barcelona came to light. Eto’o wants up to 50% of the transfer fee as a signing-on fee, on the basis that he could leave Barcelona on a free next year, Barca are not willing to pay that out.

City chief executive Garry Cook:

The circumstances surrounding him were such that a deal couldn’t be completed.

Perhaps the contract dispute is a smokescreen and Eto’o is holding for an offer from the likes of Manchester United and AC Milan. Whatever happens it’s another knockback for City in their attempt to sign the big names, Kaka turned the move down last January, John Terry is holding, money doesn’t seem to be enough sometimes.

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