Season › 2014-15 › News Italians remain hopeful over Eto'o Lyndon Lloyd , 21 January, 40comments | Jump to most recent Sampdoria are still optimistic of securing Samuel Eto'o's transfer this week as they wait for Everton to release the 33 year-old from his contract. Eto'o looked set to finalise his return to Serie A early this week, with a provisional medical appointment set for yesterday but Everton have not yet acquiesced to the Cameroonian's departure. The Italian club are hinting at their frustration at the situation, with president Massimo Ferrero telling Sky Sport Italia: “I haven't been working in football for long and can say this is a weird working environment. “People say one thing and then do another. Nobody can figure out who is in charge at Everton, but we are getting [close] to a breakthrough." Sampdoria's director of sport, Carlo Osti, says meanwhile that everything has been agreed with the player but suggests that Roberto Martinez wants a replacement on board before letting Eto'o go. There have also been suggestions that Everton feel like they are being railroaded by the ex-Barcelona and Inter striker and his agent and are prepared to take their time with the closure of the transfer window still 13 days away. "Our agreement with Eto'o has almost been finalised. He wants to join Sampdoria," Osti said. "Those are his intentions. "He is currently negotiating with Everton to resolve his contract with them. Everton are looking for a replacement. "It might take a day more than expected, but we are moderately optimistic on Eto'o and hope he can arrive as soon as possible." Eto'o, who is also wanted by New York Cosmos of the North American Soccer League, was photographed boarding a train at Manchester Picadilly station this morning, destination unknown. Reader Comments (40) Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer Colin Leary 1 Posted 21/01/2015 at 18:05:06 Get shut and use his wages on two loan players. Minik Hansen 2 Posted 21/01/2015 at 18:25:02 Replacement? Now thatÂs something to smile about, hopefully one who is natural on the wings, I have admired Elia, but now he is in another PL club. Hopefully one or few quality additions, a bit more than a week left of January, it canÂt go fast enough, so we get to see some new face(s). Colin Glassar 3 Posted 21/01/2015 at 18:31:10 Pay up and you can have him. Paul Ellam 4 Posted 21/01/2015 at 18:31:49 Hopefully we will get in more than just a replacement for EtoÂo!We need a few new faces to bolster our ailing squad.ItÂs about time we used the loan market too because it did well for us last season. Colin Leary 5 Posted 21/01/2015 at 18:56:57 I donÂt like to say it but Ricky Lambert would’ve been good for us.. Rom isnÂt a target man and we need one for him to play off. Colin Leary 6 Posted 21/01/2015 at 19:02:18 Remember that piece of shrewd business from RM.. Traore! 80,000 a week.. Bargain. Bill Gall 7 Posted 21/01/2015 at 19:09:28 Nothing seems straight forward in transfer dealings where Everton are involved. Tony Marsh 8 Posted 21/01/2015 at 19:35:07 When we beat Burnley before Xmas, EtoÂo was superb. Coming on with 25 minutes to go when his football brain comes into effect as legs tire is right up his street. Starting him from the kick off is and was ludicrous. The man is class but should have been used as a game changer from the bench. He is too old to run after 22 year kids fo 90 minutes.Appalling use of a quality player. Another fuck up by our Bobby and one body down in squad numbers. Europa League coming your way soon? Chris Jones 9 Posted 21/01/2015 at 19:57:07 Cracking quote on the Football Italia website: "I havenÂt been working in football for long and can say this is a weird working environment," said Sampdoria President – and movie producer – Massimo Ferrero on Sky Sport Italia."People say one thing and then do another. Nobody can figure out who is in charge at Everton, but we are getting to a breakthrough."Bloody hell. Kunal Desai 10 Posted 21/01/2015 at 20:08:15 "People say one thing and then do another. Nobody can figure out who is in charge at Everton"This quote pretty much sums up the amateurs we have at the helm running this club. A fucking tuckshop is run better then Kenwright and his clowns. Craig Mills 11 Posted 21/01/2015 at 20:12:55 He is clearly going so why prolong the inevitable, why pay his 80k for a few more weeks, he's not gone on the jolly boys trip to Qatar, he doesn't want to be at Everton so just get rid........why is everything so dam amateurish with our club Joe McMahon 12 Posted 21/01/2015 at 20:16:42 Tony M - spot on!. That’s how I thought he would be used. He also scored against Chelsea coming on as a sub, and that’s the 3 goals. It seems everyone can see what Martinez can’t. Colin Glassar 13 Posted 21/01/2015 at 20:19:17 I'm not sure if either eto'o or Traore were on 㿼k a week. Colin Leary how about 㿇m for Fellaini and ٤m for Vic? That wasn't too shoddy was it? I think the sticking point is compensation. We want it, the Italians don't want to pay. Kieran Riding 14 Posted 21/01/2015 at 20:24:35 We want a fee. They are skint and can only just about afford his wages as it is.IÂm sure a deal will be sorted, but itÂs just so Everton that we are fucking about here, and our manager is not even in the country, at the end of a transfer window. Andrew Ellams 15 Posted 21/01/2015 at 20:38:53 Every Prem team out of the cup will be off to sunny climes this week, will all of their managers be completely cut off too? Andrew Hawes 16 Posted 21/01/2015 at 20:44:41 Another failed move in the transfer market for Martinez,Gift from the footballing gods, my arse!! Brian Hennessy 17 Posted 21/01/2015 at 20:44:14 "Nobody can figure out who is in charge at Everton, but we are getting [close] to a breakthrough." - They should try contacting Kevin Mirallas, he seems to be in charge of everything at the club these days. Christine Foster 18 Posted 21/01/2015 at 21:04:17 "released from his contract" means no fee. That's the Everton way. If they want him then let them pay for him. Simple. Eto has shown little respect for us so why give him away? We know who is in charge at Everton, it's just that the rest of the world don't believe us when we tell them how things are done... Colin Leary 19 Posted 21/01/2015 at 21:48:50 Colin Glassar... When we signed Traore, I read an article from Lee Carsley saying he was on 㿼 grand a week. Even if he was on a grand a week, it was too much for what he brought to the table. Too many players getting paid for not playing and it needs addressing as they are not exactly future prospects. Brian Waring 21 Posted 21/01/2015 at 22:43:48 We want ٟm for Eto'o, Sampdoria and his representative reckon they don't need to pay a fee, so why shouldn't we play hardball? Maybe we should just hand Eto'o over for fuck all. Any old stick to beat Martinez with hey. Kevin Johnson 22 Posted 21/01/2015 at 22:49:38 I was told years ago by an ex-executive — the accounts and corridors of Everton FC are run like those at the Vatican! Corruption and deceit!! ThatÂs why we never get a sniff of potential investments... Sam Greenwood 23 Posted 21/01/2015 at 22:54:53 Was that the famous Manchester-Genoa train he was hopping on then? Harold Matthews 24 Posted 22/01/2015 at 03:14:02 They want him for nothing. Make them pay and buy any available pro with half a brain who can trap and pass a ball in the final third. Ian Hollingworth 25 Posted 22/01/2015 at 06:50:04 Tony M (8), absolutely spot on.Martinez's use of Eto'o has been a disaster, and as for getting in a replacement, I have no confidence in Kenwright or Martinez to get that right... Traore, anyone? Giacomo Trifoglio 26 Posted 22/01/2015 at 07:18:40 "Sampdoria president Massimo Ferrero claims the signing of striker Samuel Eto'o, 33, is being held up because "nobody can figure out who is in charge at Everton". (Sky Sport Italia) (external)". From today's BBC gossip column. Mark Tanton 27 Posted 22/01/2015 at 07:38:04 Is anyone surprised that the club is conducting itself like this? We seem to irritate ever club we deal with. Ian Jones 28 Posted 22/01/2015 at 08:03:24 All very entertaining. Why do people tend to believe what is written in the papers or on various media channels? Only a few people will know what the truth is. I appreciate that there seem to have been poor examples over the years, including having players on loan who are injured when they arrive. But I have some faith in the management's ability to conduct themselves professionally with transfers... although Dan Gosling's situation remains a mystery to this day.Some clubs, players or their representatives obviously don't conduct themselves too well. Why should Everton bow to pressure? We all criticise some of the transfer dealings based on info from the media without knowing everything. We should sell only when we are ready to and hopefully get some money in.I appreciate that is a cue for some to criticise Everton generally but, hey, go ahead. Let's look for new owners like the ones Cardiff, Leeds, Blackburn, Birmingham have or had... and, while I am at it, why not get a new manager in? Not sacking Sam Allardyce last year hasn't worked out that badly so far for the Hammers... He's not everyone's cup of tea (including me) but they seem to be doing okay at the moment.Sacking Steve Clarke worked well for West Brom. They are on their second or possibly third since.Why not change our colours to beige to match our football?I have faith in Martinez. I don't understand his tactics at times or at all this season but I am willing to give him time.I was as wary as most when he got appointed due to his time spent at Wigan. I assume that's his problem with many of the fans. He took a team down. He won a cup as well. Always looks good on a CV but most of us on here will focus on the relegation side of his CV... and perhaps rightly so.I assume most who criticised his appointment were pleasantly surprised by his first season. I was. But they will be the first to say "I told you so" this year and are no doubt enjoying it.I don't buy into this notion that we won't get relegated because there are 3 clubs worse. You are never too good to go down, as Nottingham Forest will show from a few years ago... they played attractive football but couldn't defend.There are 16 games to go which is 3 games short of half a season. I don't think it's time to panic just yet. Have a phenomenal day. [Sorry, couldn't resist...] Matt Butlin 29 Posted 22/01/2015 at 12:37:22 "Sampdoria president Massimo Ferrero says the signing of striker Samuel Eto'o, 33, is being held up because "nobody can figure out who is in charge at Everton". Has anyone asked Kevin Mirallas if Eto'o can go? Max Wilson 30 Posted 22/01/2015 at 13:23:13 Thank you Tony Marsh (5). In total agreement here. The other thing is this can't get a decision allegation. WTF is going on? Bob Martin 31 Posted 22/01/2015 at 13:22:15 Ian 28,Good piece mate, and I think I am with you on this. However, if I had read your piece last week, I would have definitely been with you.When I left Goodison on Monday night, I was really angry at what I had witnessed, the penalty, lack of plan and leadership leaves me with very serious doubts about the management of our club. I really hope that I don't feel like this for long because overall I want him to succeed. But I really do now have a doubt.. Rob Coles 32 Posted 22/01/2015 at 13:30:28 According to BBC text, sport news, this morning, Sampdoria president, Massimo Ferrero claims the signing of Eto'o is being held up because 'no-one can figure out who is in charge at Everton!!!' Now why does that surprise me NOT! Eric Owen 33 Posted 22/01/2015 at 13:36:57 Comment reported in today's BBC Gossip Column:"Sampdoria president Massimo Ferrero says the signing of striker Samuel Eto'o, 33, is being held up because "nobody can figure out who is in charge at Everton." (Sky Sport Italia) Join the line, Massimo. At the present time, should you ask any Everton football fan, I think they would say the same.May be funny for some but it scares the hell out of me. Phil Walling 34 Posted 22/01/2015 at 13:50:12 Expect Everton to keep Eto'o and not play him. That way, it only costs 㿼k a week to show that cocky Sampadoria President who's boss.Worked well with Traore last season and, when you're the 20th rich club in the world, you can do things like that! Matthew Williams 35 Posted 22/01/2015 at 15:55:06 I hope we keep him, his experience is invaluable. Dave Abrahams 36 Posted 22/01/2015 at 17:38:50 If we paid Eto'o a signing on fee then we should be entitled to some return off the buying club, or Eto'o himself.If not let him go or we'll have a dissatisfied player on our hands getting 㿨,ooo or whatever per week. Darren Hind 37 Posted 22/01/2015 at 17:53:05 Word has it that Eto'o was already to sign for Sampdoria last week but Mirallas took the pen off him. Ian Jones 38 Posted 22/01/2015 at 19:39:41 Darren. Very good. Good to see your sense of humour is intact. Jay Harris 39 Posted 22/01/2015 at 19:45:07 Fuck Eto who from what I heard obviously doesnt want to be here under Martinez what about Garbutt.He goes on a free in the summer. James Lauwervine 40 Posted 23/01/2015 at 11:30:16 Well said, Brian (#21), the bollocks on here is so tedious. Tony (#8), he played the whole game against Burnley so you are talking total nonsense. That game and the sub appearance against West Ham (November) are the only two stand-outs for me. Costs far too much for a luxury player. Terence Tipler 41 Posted 23/01/2015 at 11:31:12 Reports Eto'o is having a medical. Also the Wigan manager states four Premier League clubs want Callum McManaman. I am beginning to wonder... Add Your Comments In order to post a comment, you need to be logged in as a registered user of the site. » Log in now Or Sign up as a ToffeeWeb Member — it's free, takes just a few minutes and will allow you to post your comments on articles and Talking Points submissions across the site. About these ads © ToffeeWeb