MANCHESTER CITY are refusing to give up hope of capitalising on Samuel Eto’o’s differences with Barcelona but will resist the temptation to offer the Cameroon striker any more money.

Eto’o’s agent, Josep Maris Mesalles, confirmed the forward wanted to see out the final year of his contract in Barcelona and was now considering a new two-year deal. That, however, tells only a fraction of a complex political story. Eto’o has been informed he does not figure in the plans of the coach, Pep Guardiola, and Mesalles also said the striker would be “delighted” to talk to City if the European Cup winners, who have already accepted a €30 million bid, are willing to trade him.

“I don’t know if they really want Samuel to stay or if they just want to make money out of him,” Mesalles said. “He would be delighted to stay if they want him and we will study their offer if it is serious, but if they don’t want him we will do all we can to help Samuel find a new club. In theory he wanted to play in the Champions League, but if Manchester City have an offer accepted, we would be delighted to go there.”

That has given City encouragement despite Mesalles informing them on Monday that Eto’o was reluctant to play for a club that had not even qualified for the Europa League. City were hoping to make him the highest-paid player in the Premier League, with a post-tax salary of €211,000 a week, but there is an increasing suspicion that Eto’o wants a huge signing-on fee. On the basis that Barcelona could lose him for nothing next summer City will not get involved in this.

“Guardiola said at the end of the season that he was delighted with Samuel, so I don’t know what has changed.

“My mistake was not to verify this information and we need to find out what the coach wants, because he is the one who ultimately decides,” said Mesalles.

City will today unveil a partnership with the TV production company behind Big Brother. Endemol Sport has signed a “multi-year” deal to relaunch the club’s website, develop TV ideas and develop City’s brand throughout the world. The website, which is relaunched today, will be available in English and Arabic.

West Brom have appointed Roberto Di Matteo as their new head coach. The 39-year-old has signed a 12-month rolling contract to lead the club, relegated from the Premier League last season, and who have been searching for a new manager after Tony Mowbray left for Celtic earlier this month.

Di Matteo arrives with just one year’s coaching experience under his belt after being appointed MK Dons manager last summer.

Sunderland chairman Niall Quinn has been praised for his decision to protect the club’s lower-paid employees at the expense of millionaire players in the event of relegation.

Had Sunderland been relegated last season, Quinn had a contingency plan which would have seen the wage bill automatically trimmed without the need to lay off staff. He will insist on relegation clauses being included in all new player contracts.

His approach is one management experts believe could benefit other clubs. Ruth Spellman, chief executive of the Chartered Management Institute, said: “Leaders are easy targets when times are tough — they are, after all, the face of an organisation.

“But with leadership comes the responsibility of steadying the ship if times become uncomfortable for the club.

“It means making tough decisions and although they are easy to criticise, there is a clear rationale behind Niall Quinn’s idea.”