Hughes prepared to be patient for Eto'o

MARK HUGHES has accepted Manchester City may have to show patience rather than simply flexing their financial muscle if they are to salvage a deal to make Samuel Eto’o the showpiece signing of their summer recruitment programme.

Hughes was speaking for the first time about the €29.7 million offer City have lodged with Barcelona after several days in which Eto’o has sent conflicting messages about whether he would be willing to move to Manchester – initially indicating he would, then declaring he would rather stay with the European Cup winners but leaving the door open for a transfer if he does not feel wanted at Camp Nou.

“There is an interest from us and we’ve lodged a bid for Samuel Eto’o,” Hughes said. “There’s always an element of frustration when you can’t conclude deals quickly but we will give every deal and every situation the patience we feel it deserves.

“If we get to a point where we feel things aren’t going to happen and we feel the process is stalling and we can’t move it forward then that’s the time we will walk away – and we’ve done that in the past.

“We made an offer to Barcelona, but now there seems to be a situation between the player and his club. We’re not really involved in that. We have to stand back and see whether it develops.”

Hughes is hoping a €29.7 million deal for Carlos Tevez, now out of contract after his two-year loan arrangement with Manchester United expired on Tuesday, will be less problematic, but there are still enough issues surrounding the transfer for it not to be considered imminent.

“Carlos Tevez is another player I have huge admiration for and everybody is aware of his situation – that he is available,” Hughes said. “We are interested in good players and we will see what happens.”

City have already signed Roque Santa Cruz from Blackburn Rovers for €20 million, the Paraguayan holding his introductory press conference yesterday, as well as Gareth Barry from Aston Villa for €14 million. City have confirmed four senior players have been released: Danny Mills, Darius Vassell, Dietmar Hamann and Michael Ball.

GuardianService