MANCHESTER, England (AFP) - English Premier League club Manchester City have given up on a potential move for Barcelona's Cameroon striker Samuel Eto'o.
Barcelona had last week appeared to accept Eto'o was on his way to Eastlands, but a contractual hitch emerged between the forward, who scored in the Champions League final win over Manchester United.
City said they have now called off any move for the 28-year-old, who is set to see out the final year of his Barcelona contract.
"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 club website www.mcfc.co.uk.
"We now feel the time is right to pursue other avenues. We have a clear strategic transfer plan, which we continue to follow."
Last month Barcelona said they had received a "stratospheric" offer for Eto'o, believed to be from City, but the Catalan club's chairman Joan Laporta said he wanted the star to stay put.
Spanish media have indicated wage demands of some ten million euros a year were frightening off top clubs.