Man. City end interest in Eto'o

Manchester City will not be signing Barcelona striker Samuel Eto'o, the Premier League club said.

"Samuel Eto'o is undoubtedly a fine footballer but the circumstances surrounding him were such that the deal could not be completed," 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."

City manager Mark Hughes confirmed recently that a 25 million-euro 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 Eto'o considered his future after also being offered a new two-year contract by Barcelona.