REPORTS have suggested that Arsenal are ready to rival free-spending London neighbours Chelsea in the race to sign Mallorca striker Samuel Eto´o. The Stamford Bridge outfit are reported to have agreed a fee of around £7 million with the Spanish outfit for the Cameroon international, but are holding off on completing the transfer until the future of Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink is resolved.
The Dutch hit-man has been strongly linked with a move to Real Betis, and Blues boss Claudio Ranieri seems ready to offload the former Leeds and Atletico Madrid star.
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However, their delay could let in Arsenal who are believed to be ready to sacrifice Sylvain Wiltord to land Eto´o, though Spanish sources have claimed that Italian outfit Lazio are also preparing an offer for Mallorca´s prize asset.
The Gunners would offer the French international plus an additional £2 million to secure the services of the highly-rated 22-year-old African.
Wiltord has yet to agree a new contract to extend his stay at Highbury and negotiations are deadlocked leaving Arsenal keen to offload him now rather than lose him for nothing in a year´s time.
