BY Victor Akhidenor
Everton have completed the signing of striker Samuel Eto’o on a free transfer, with the 33-year-old agreeing a two-year contract.
The former Barcelona player scored 12 goals for Chelsea last season, including a hat-trick against Manchester United, but saw his relationship with Jose Mourinho go sour when the Portuguese questioned his age in a leaked footage from a French television interview.
He could now make his Everton debut against Mourinho and his former team-mates, with the sides due to meet at Goodison Park on Saturday.
The Cameroon international said it was the Blues style of play, and manager Roberto Martinez, that helped make up his mind to come to Goodison.
“I am very happy to be here; I am looking forward greatly to putting on the Blue shirt of Everton,” Eto’o said.
“I have been very impressed by the style of play Everton adopt. I could see straight away that at this club I will have the opportunity to play football. I had the chance to speak with the manager over the last few days and we agreed that this was what we would do.
“I was impressed with his enthusiasm but also by the knowledge of football that Roberto Martinez carries, his vision of football and how he reads football. I still think I can learn a great deal from him here.”
Martinez, who beat off competition from a host of rival clubs to secure the services of the player, said Everton is the perfect home for the striker.
“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,” Martinez told the club website.
“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.”
With 118 caps and a record 56 goals for Cameroon, Eto’o has been prolific throughout his career, which has included spells at Barcelona and Inter.
At the Camp Nou, he scored over 100 league goals across five trophy-laden campaigns.
He won the league title in his debut season, which was followed by La Liga’s top scorer award in 2005-06 and his first Champions League medal.
Eto’o scored 36 goals in his last season at Barca, including key goals in the Champions League final and title run-in as the Catalans completed a historic treble.
He joined Inter in the summer of 2009 and became the first player to win consecutive European continental trebles.
Crowned African Player of the Year a record four times, Eto’o will now provide an extra forward option for Martinez in England and in Europa League action with Romelu Lukaku, Steven Naismith and Arouna Kone.
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