Samuel Eto’o will remain a Barcelona player for the coming season, coach Pep Guardiola has confirmed.
Eto’o was told earlier this summer that he would be allowed to leave the Nou Camp, but after impressing at pre-season, Guardiola has decided that the Cameroon international has a future at Camp Nou.
“I know that I said on my first day that I did not count on him, but I also said that I would treat him like any other player,” said Guardiola.
“His behavior and attitude in Scotland and the United States have made me decide that he will remain with us. And, as well as that, he is a player with immense talent.”
Guardiola denied any suggestion that the decision to keep Eto’o had anything to do with the club’s lack of success in bringing in a replacement.
“The negotiations to sign a ‘number nine’ were stopped some weeks ago following a decision by me and Txiki (Begiristain, sporting director),” the new Barca coach added.
“Before bringing players in you must let players go and as everything was going well I decided that it was not necessary to sign anybody and everything would remain the same.”
