Why Samuel Eto'o Should Be United's High Profile Signing

Over the past few seasons of European football, no player has been quite as impressive as Inter Milan forward Samuel Eto’o.

Three Champions League triumphs in five seasons speaks for itself, as does two consecutive trebles in 2009 and 2010.

Eto’o has become one of Africa’s most recognisable footballers, a man who has performed well on both the club and international level. At age thirty, Eto’o has showed no signs of digression; he scored thirty-eight goals for club and country last season.

However, perhaps more telling is Eto’o's discipline, an underrated trait which would no doubt be valued by Sir Alex Ferguson. The Cameroonian’s defensive performance against Inter Milan in the 2010 Champions League semi-final was simply astounding; it is rare for a star striker to be so willing to track back and play out of position. And oh yeah, Eto’o would be useful to Fergie in an attacking capacity too; the striker has been prolific throughout his career, scoring goals galore for two of Europe’s most storied clubs.

Eto’o possesses that unique ability to produce something out of nothing, and he would provide that touch of magic which has been lacking since Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure. Even more encouragingly for United, Eto’o has admitted that he is interested in a move to England, although Arsenal and Manchester City look to be early front runners.

Up front, Dimitar Berbatov’s future is wreathed in doubt, reports emerged a couple days ago linking the Bulgarian to a return to White Hart Lane as a makeweight in Ferguson's pursuit of Luka Modric, and he has still to sign a new contract. Returning youngters like Diouf and Welbeck are as of yet not good enough to be trusted back up to Wayne Rooney and Chicharito Hernandez, and Michael Owen is too injury prone to fulfill that role either. If Eto’o were to join up, Wayne Rooney could drop back into the attacking midfield position which he occupied for most of last season, and the Cameroonian could parnter Hernandez in attack. United would have a versatile and penatrive front three, a triumvirate of attackers that could be further complemented by the likes of Owen, Welbeck and maybe Berbatov off the bench.

No doubt, it will be difficult to secure Eto’o's services, and any move for him would more or less end our chances of signing Sneijder. However, with Wayne Rooney potentially moving into central midfield, United would be able to bag their pursuit of a creative midfielder, Wazza has showed that he is capable of filling that void.

Eto’o has speed, strengh and the ability to finish, all attributes necessary to be a top, top Premier league player, as well as the experience required to help United steer through the latter stages of European competition. Moreover, Eto’o has conqured the men from Barcelona in the past, and with that the stated goal of the final years of Ferguson’s reign, the Inter Milan man would be an ideal signing.

As far as price goes, Eto’o would likely be availabe for something in the region of thirty million pounds, and a move for him would have to represent United's only big money signing of the summer. The Devils' pursuit of players like Sanchez, Sneijder and Modric would end, but in return they would claim one of the greatest goalscorers of the modern era.

This article was originally posted by David Yaffe-Bellany/The Chairman on Red Flag Flying High