Manchester City move on from Eto'o

Manchester City renew search for a new world-class striker today after ending interest in Barcelona's striker Samuel Eto'o.

Manchester City will renew their search for a new world-class striker today after ending their interest in Barcelona's striker Samuel Eto'o. The chairman Khaldoon al Mubarak contacted Barcelona on Friday with confirmation that the £18 million (Dh107m) deal was off. "Samuel Eto'o is undoubtedly a fine footballer but the circumstances surrounding him were such that the deal could not be completed," the City chief executive Garry Cook told the club website. "We now feel the time is right to pursue other avenues and we have a clear and strategic transfer plan, which we continue to follow."

The City manager Mark Hughes confirmed last week that a bid had been made for the Barcelona striker and had warned the forward that he would not wait all summer for a decision. Any possible deal had been delayed while the Cameroon international considered his future after also being offered a new two-year contract by the Spanish and European champions. Eto'o finished last season as Barca's top scorer with 30 league goals in Pep Guardiola's first year in charge.

* With agencies