Cameroon striker Samuel Eto’o signs for Chelsea

 

 

Samuel Eto’o: The latest arrival at Stamford Bridge

Cameroon striker Samuel Eto’o has finally secured his reunion with Jose Mourinho after signing for Chelsea in a one-year deal.

The 32-year-old is the second player to arrive at Chelsea from Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala following the acquisition of Willian on Wednesday.

Having failed in two bids for Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney, Chelsea were desperate to bolster their attacking options and moved quickly amid reports that Eto’o was considering a return to Inter Milan.

“I am very happy to be here but also anxious because I want to get playing as soon as possible,” Eto’o told Chelsea’s club website.

 

“It wasn’t a hard decision. I saw the qualities Chelsea have, and I was very happy with Jose Mourinho before, so when the opportunity came, I was very happy to take it.”

Samuel Eto’o

“It wasn’t a hard decision. I saw the qualities Chelsea have, and I was very happy with Jose Mourinho before, so when the opportunity came, I was very happy to take it.

“I have had a career where I have been lucky enough to win a lot of trophies in different countries but one of my last dreams as a professional is to come and play in England and see if I can have the same success as at my previous clubs.

“I don’t see it as a final challenge, but to have a good time, enjoy my football, and have success with this team.”

Four-time African Footballer of the Year Eto’o was an integral part of Mourinho’s Champions League-winning Inter side in 2010, before heading to Anzhi the following year to become the highest-paid player in the world.

Anzhi are in the process of slashing their wage bill with owner Suleyman Kerimov desperate to balance the books of the financially-troubled club.

On the international stage, Eto’o has been a regular for Cameroon after making his debut before he turned 15. At the age of 17 he was the youngest player at the 1998 World Cup in France.

Four years later he scored the winning goal as Cameroon bagged their only victory of the 2002 World Cup by beating Saudi Arabia.

Eto’o is the leading goalscorer in the Africa Cup of Nations and was also part of the Cameroon team which won gold at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. He also captained Cameroon at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Mourinho moved to bring in Eto’o after appearing to have conceded defeat in the bid to capture Rooney from United.

Rooney played for United against Chelsea on Monday night and Mourinho is not planning a third bid after seeing two offers rejected earlier in the transfer window.

“Rooney,” said Mourinho at a press conference on Thursday. “I told you what I have to say. I think I (made it) very, very clear that we didn’t start the process (a third bid).

“We have nothing more to say. He’s a Man United player and no more than that.”

The signing of Eto’o is also likely to place a question mark over the futures of Demba Ba and Fernando Torres at Stamford Bridge.

Mourinho has previously suggested he only wants three strikers in his squad and, with Romelu Lukaku to call upon as well, there could be a departure before the transfer window closes.

Ba has been linked with a return to Newcastle United, while Torres only appeared as a substitute in the 0-0 draw at United after Andre Schurrle started up front.

Fresh Challenge For Moses As Willian Joins Chelsea

 

Chelsea announced on Sunday that they have reached an agreement to sign Brazilian attacking midfielder Willian from Russian side Anzhi Makhachkala, subject to the granting of a work permit.

His arrival will further swell the number of attacking midfielders at manager Jose Mourinho’s disposal, with Eden Hazard, Juan Mata, Oscar, Victor Moses, Kevin De Bruyne and Schuerrle already competing for just three starting places.

The arrival of the Brazilian has turned analysts’ focus on Moses as the most likely to be hit by the addition. Soon after Chelsea announced the deal on Sunday, British media highlighted Moses as the lowest in the pecking order of the supporting strikers who could go on loan when the mid-season transfer window opens in January. The predictions are coming despite Mourinho’s pre-season remark on the Super Eagles attacker. The Chelsea boss had said during the tour of the USA that Moses was doing very well with the team.

He said, “Moses has been very terrific.” There was an initial loan bid from Everton for Moses which Chelsea turned down in June.

The acquisition of Willain by the Stamford Bridge team comes as a surprise. The 25-year-old had been set to join Tottenham Hotspur, having undergone a medical at the north London club earlier last week, only for Chelsea to hijack the deal.

British media reports claim Chelsea will pay a fee of around £30m to secure his services.

“Chelsea Football Club can confirm an agreement has been reached with both Willian and his club Anzhi Makhachkala for the transfer of the Brazilian player,” read a statement on the Chelsea website.

Jose Mourinho reveals Love for Rooney

Jose Mourinho was reluctant to discuss any interest in Wayne Rooney but the Chelsea boss admitted his admiration of the Manchester United star.

Rooney + Chelsea= Partnership made in HEAVEN!!!

Conspiracy theorists(Like me!!!) have leapt on Rooney’s departure as evidence his future at Old Trafford is limited given the forward is still to offer any indication that he wants to stay, despite United’s repeated claims the 27-year-old is not for sale.

Chelsea are one of the clubs said to be interested in Rooney.

And whilst Mourinho accepted etiquette dictates that he should not discuss other clubs’ players, the Blues boss could not resist.

He said: “I cannot speak about players from other teams but you know me…

“I have always said what I think and I like the player very much.

“I cannot say more than that. He is fast and direct. I like him but he is a Manchester United player.”

Expect Attractive Brand Of Football Next Season, Mourinho Tells Chelsea Fans

 

Newly-unveiled Chelsea Coach, Jose Mourinho is promising Chelsea fans a more attractive brand of football next season.

The Portuguese’s first spell at Stamford Bridge was largely successful but the Blues still came under criticism for a perceived negative approach to matches. The 50-year-old says that his aim is to make the supporters happy by the results and the style in which they are achieved this time around.

“I want to make the Chelsea fans happy – by results, by our playing style, by the mentality and the personality of the team,” Mourinho told The Sun. “They have to know that we always give everything. I know from my record at Chelsea, also at Inter and Madrid, that I made many decisions that helped my teams.

“If I gamble with a very risky decision, it can go the wrong way. How many times did I play here with three defenders? I remember against West Ham (in April 2006) we were losing 1-0 and we were playing with 10 men after Maniche got a red card early in the game. I still gambled because I wanted to win with 10 men — and we did win, 4-1.”

The Blues have announced the arrival of youngsters Andre Schurrle and Marco van Ginkel already this summer but the former Porto coach says that the Chelsea old guard still has a part to play.

“This is the legacy of the club culture – as some guys are arriving they have others who can transmit to them immediately what this club means,” he said.

Mikel Won’t Marry White Lady – Ebele Obi

Mikel Obi’s older brother, Ebele in a recent interview speaks about brother’s social and love life:

Sex and romance

“As a footballer and as a popular figure, one must learn to cope with every situation that comes his way. Concerning my social life, I’m currently into a relationship and I don’t want to be distracted. I want to be focused and keep on praying that everything works out fine so that I can settle down with the same person I’m into a relation with.

“I’m not carried away with my brother’s wealth. No doubt girls come around me but I remain focused on my career. Mikel too is into a relationship at the moment right there in the United Kingdom. When you stick to one person at a time, I think it saves you a lot of trouble. But when you jump from one today to another tomorrow, you create room for every other girl to come in. We are not on that track at all.”

Mikel won’t marry a white lady

“No, no, no! We cannot advise Mikel to marry a foreigner knowing full well what it involves. We’ll make him realize that if he gets married to a foreigner, whatever comes out of the marriage, he should be prepared to take it. I wouldn’t want my brother to be a victim of a failed marriage.

“Even when I visited him in London, I warned him about white ladies. I told him that even if he’s having a relationship with a white lady, it should stop at that; he should not allow such relationship to end up in marriage. I told him whenever he wants to settle down in marriage, he should come down to Nigeria and pick a wife. If he’s thinking towards the direction of getting married to a white lady, we are not in support of that. My parents are not in support of him getting married to a white. If he’s in a relationship, that’s just a relationship.”