Barcelona believes Samuel Eto`o will become its seventh close season signing within the next 24 hours, if Real Madrid fails to respond to its offer for the Cameroon striker.
The Catalan giant agreed a £14million transfer fee with Real Mallorca on August 3 but Madrid - which owns a 50% share in the player - can scupper the deal by buying the player outright for a fee of £7million.
"The period finishes at the start of the 10th day (of August) as Mallorca gave our offer to Madrid on the third and the period was seven days and so the time will have lapsed," Barcelona president Joan Laporta said.
"As a result if Madrid do not exercise its rights to the player I understand that he will become a
Barca player."
Eto`o has previously stated his desire to join Barcelona and has agreed personal terms with the Nou Camp club while Madrid`s goalscoring stocks have been boosted by the return of Fernando Morientes - who made a big impact on loan at Monaco last season.
Meanwhile, Barca star Ronaldinho believes Eto`o would be a real asset for his club.
"A footballer must play where he wants and Eto`o wants to play for Barcelona as he has said on numerous occasions," Ronaldinho told Spanish radio station Onda Cero.
"I would be very happy if this happened and everyone here would do their best to help him feel at home. He is a player of a high level and quality and so would be welcome."
