THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
MANCHESTER, England — Manchester City may need to show patience in its bid to bring Barcelona striker Samuel Eto’o to the Premier League club, manager Mark Hughes said Wednesday.
"We have made an offer but there appears to be a situation between the player and his club that we cannot be part of," Hughes said. "We just have to sit back and see what develops. Patience is a word that has been mentioned and we may need some of it."
Eto’o’s agent Josep Maria Mesalles told a Spanish radio station Monday that the player would see out the final year of his contract before leaving Barcelona on a free transfer next year.
City have reportedly offered Barcelona 25 million pounds (C$47.4 million) for the Cameroon striker in a deal that would earn him around 10 million pounds (C$18.9 million) a year, making him the highest-paid player in the world.
Hughes also said that City remains keen to sign Argentina international striker Carlos Tevez from Manchester United.
"I am a huge admirer of Carlos," Hughes said. "Everyone is aware of his situation and we are interested, as we are in all top quality players. We will have to see what happens but these are very early days."
Tevez has made it clear that he will not be staying at United after two years with the club, having become disillusioned at his lack of starts last season.
Meanwhile, City has released Danny Mills, Darius Vassell, Dietmar Hamann and Michael Ball.
The 32-year-old Mills has not been part of the first team for well over a year, while Vassell, 29, and Hamann, 35, have struggled with injuries.
Ball was a regular under Hughes for the first part of last season, but the 29-year-old left back lost his place following the arrival of Wayne Bridge from Chelsea.