Transfer - Cameroon - Everton sign 3-times Champions League winner Samuel Eto'o
Everton Football Club has completed the signing of Cameroon international and three times Champions League winner Samuel Eto'o.
The experienced striker has put pen to paper on a two-year deal at Goodison Park following last season's spell at Chelsea.
With 118 caps and a record 56 goals for Cameroon, Eto'o has been prolific throughout his professional career which has included trophy-laden spells at Barcelona and Inter Milan.
Having started out at Real Madrid, he has also featured for Mallorca, Anzhi Makhachkala before his introduction to the Premier League last summer.
At the Camp Nou, he hit over 100 league goals across five glorious campaigns.
A league title in his debut season was followed by the La Liga top scorer award in 2005/06 and his first Champions League medal.
In his last season at Barcelona, Eto'o weighed in with 36 goals including vital strikes in the Champions League final and title run-in as the Catalans completed a historic treble.
Eto'o with the Everton shirt
He joined Inter Milan in the summer of 2009 and became the first player to win consecutive European continental trebles.
With four league titles, seven domestic cups, a FIFA Club World Cup medal and three Champions League wins to his name.
Eto'o will now provide an extra forward option for Roberto Martinez at home and in Europa League action - adding to Club-record signing Romelu Lukaku, Steven Naismith and Arouna Kone.
Speaking to evertontv, a delighted Martinez said:
"I met him and we had a very good chat about football in general and I was impressed about the hunger he still has.
"For someone who has achieved nearly everything, he still has the desire he had at 15 when he went to Spain and showed what he could do.
For many reasons he has got a point to prove.
"We are very excited and I think Everton is the perfect home for him.
The fans will make him ready and feel sharp but we have got to be a bit patient with the fitness levels and make sure he is back to his best."
Crowned African Player of the Year a record four times, Eto'o successfully completed a medical at Finch Farm on Tuesday and is in line to make his debut against his latest former side this Saturday.
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Feedback in french:
Comme on dit au Cameroun, "un grand n’est pas un petit".
Everton, le club anglais de Premier Ligue vient de confirmer l’arrivée, en son sein, du goléador camerounais Samuel Eto’o Fils.
Une réponse cinglante à ses détracteurs, 4 jours seulement avant la clôture des transferts.
Everton a donc confirmé ce mardi soir la signature de Samuel Eto’o Fils.
L’attaquant camerounais, âgé de 33 ans, était libre de tout contrat et s’est donc engagé pour deux saisons avec les Toffees pour un salaire mensuel de 640 000 euros soit 160 000 euros par semaine.
Petit trackback:
«J’ai été très impressionné par le style de jeu d’Everton.
J’ai vite compris que dans ce club, j’aurai l’opportunité de jouer au football» a confié Eto’o sur le site officiel de son nouveau club.
Après avoir satisfait à la traditionnelle visite médicale, l’avant-centre trois fois vainqueur de la Ligue des champions (2006, 2009, 2010) pourrait faire ses débuts dès samedi contre… Chelsea.
«Je l’ai rencontré et nous avons eu une très bonne discussion sur le football en général, a déclaré de son côté le manager d’Everton, Roberto Martinez. Je suis impressionné par l’appétit qu’il a encore.
Pour quelqu’un qui a presque tout accompli dans sa carrière, il a toujours le même désir qu’à 15 ans, lorsqu’il est arrivé en Espagne pour montrer ce qu’il pouvait faire.
Pour plusieurs raisons, il a des choses à prouver.
Nous sommes très excités, et je pense qu’Everton est l’endroit idéal pour lui.»
Cameroon
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