Once upon a time, back in the times of the first galaxy, Mr. President believed in a Zidanes and Pavons policy. Buy the best, and fill up the squad with free youth teamers.
At around the same time there was a player who fell into the latter category but would later fall into the former. The problem was, he was a bit of a troublemaker. Samuel Eto'o was swiftly offloaded, without the clause that would become a par for course in any contract when Real Madrid sold a youth teamer. Eto'o moved to Mallorca, scored rakes of goals, then went to Barcelona, scored rakes of goals and has won two Champions League winner's medals. In the time that Madrid have not got past the quarter finals of the tournament.
Eto'o, however, hasn't stopped making trouble for his current employers. Pep Guardiola tried selling him last year and failed, but the striker was still the club's top scorer for the season. Still not forgiven, Barcelona are trying the same trick this summer, but the naughty Cameroonian is up to his old tricks and is demanding something between 5 and 1o million 'incentives' to leave the club. The deal taking him to Inter is on hold.
Barcelona in the meantime are going to have to pay 75 million for Zlat the Man if they are to land the striker they want to lead the line next year. This is the club that 'makes balon d'ors, not buys them,' if you remember Lord Laporta's recent comments. That's 6 million more big ones than Madrid paid for CR9, Joan, but whatever you say.
While Eto'o continues to stir things up in Catalunya, back in Madrid the club is awaiting an offer of close to 20 million euros from Tottenham for Álvaro Negredo - a 'canterano'. This labelling of Negredo is upsetting some, who point out that he was a product of the Rayo Vallecano youth system and who Madrid then bought to play for Castilla. Anyone who saw Negredo for Castilla and heard about Spurs' offer is probably still in casualty after suffering the shock of their lives, even if Tomás Roncero claims he is a Spanish Van Nistelrooy in today's AS.
Needless to say, if The Animal (as some english papers seem to believe is Negredo's nickname) does move on, there will be an Eto'o Clause in there, should he score 35 goals in a season and the next coach, ahem, Pellegrini decide he could use the services of Álvaro after all.
One such clause has been put into action this week too, for Getafe's Esteban Granero. Arguably one of the most talented youngsters in Spain, 'The Pirate' (that really is his nickname) is coming home after two seasons at Getafe. Marca applaud Granero for prioritizing club over money - he is apparently taking a pay cut to return to the Bernabéu. The badge before bonus sentiment is not one usually associated with Real Madrid, so sombreros off to Granero.
Elsewhere, Javi García has finally upped sticks and gone to the graveyard of Madrid's youth teamers (just think back to Balboa, voted the worst player in the Portuguese league in his first season) which is Benfica. 7 million euros for García is a great deal for Madrid, and if the midfielder fulfills the promise he showed a couple of years back then it could be a great a deal for Benfica, but its a big 'if'. Playing just behind García for Castilla a few seasons ago was Álvaro Arbeloa, who left for Deportivo but landed at Liverpool, and is now one of the chosen ones to provide cover in defense. Whether he'll be part of the CR9s and Graneros movement has yet to be seen, but one things for sure. They don't make them like Eto'o anymore.
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