I`m no reserve, says tug-of-war star Eto`o (23.07.2004)
- Cameroon international Samuel Eto`o said he does not want to go on loan to Real Madrid if it is just to spend a season kicking his heels.
Real have been looking to buy Eto`o from current side Real Mallorca for a fee in the region of 10 million euros (12.2m dollars) but then loan him back to the club or else to another side as they have a full complement of foreign stars at the Bernabeu.
But the striker said he was an established figure and as such worth as much as others who are not for hawking around.
"Samuel Eto`o is an established player. If they can cede the likes of (Zinedine) Zidane or Ronaldo then they can cede Samuel Eto`o, but if not then they can`t do that with me either as I am a player who has shown his worth.
The 23-year-old has superstar status
in Mallorca and he admitted that to leave would be a wrench.
"I am a Mallorca player, I love it here and I will stay on the island until they tell me it`s time to go. I just want to play football.
"Mallorca is in my soul. I am crazy about the place.
"If I go anywhere it will be to play there. I have scored goals wherever I have been and have two World Cup campaigns behind me."
Insisting he would love to stay put if he could he added: "If Mallorca bring me a team which can win the league I will stay on as long as I play football and until I am a coach. But I want to win trophies," he told reporters.
Noting that Barcelona are also interested in capturing his services Eto`o said: "I am happy that the big names of Spain are after me."
