Barcelona president Joan Laporta has quashed speculation that Nicolas Anelka will jump to the top of their wanted list should the Catalans miss out on Samuel Eto`o.
Reports in Spain this week have indicated that Barca would try and lure Anelka away from Manchester City and to the Nou Camp, but Laporta has ruled out a move for the French striker who had a troubled spell at Real Madrid earlier in his career.
"If Eto`o does not come then nobody will," explained Laporta, moments before jetting out of Barcelona airport to join up with Frank Rijkaard`s squad on their tour of Japan.
A Cameroon international, current African Player of the Year Eto`o is halfway towards joining Barcelona, after a £14.5million fee for his services was agreed with Real Mallorca.
But completing the deal promises to be potentially problematic as the 23-year-old`s ownership is split down the middle between Mallorca and Real Madrid, who may be reluctant to allow the prolific
marksman to join their title rivals.
Madrid must either accept the bid or match Barcelona`s offer, so as to make him 100% their player.
"Now it must fall to Real Madrid who have the right to decide, but if they do not respond to an offer within a week then he will convert into a Barcelona player," added Laporta.
"Anelka is not of interest to Barca. In the meetings which we have had with the technical team, Rijkaard, Txiki (Begiristain, sports director) and (Sandro, vice-president) Rosell, his name has never been mentioned.
"His name has not been one that we have ever contemplated."
Regarding Eto`o, there have been indications that Rijkaard is wavering over spending such a vast sum on one player, but Laporta is confident that the coach would like to see the Mallorca frontman in his squad.
"The decision to try and sign the Cameroonian was taken with the support of all the technical staff," he promised, "including Rijkaard."
