MOSCOW — Samuel Eto’o’s future remains unclear after the Anzhi Makhachkala striker refused to rule out returning to former club Inter on loan during the January transfer window.
Recent speculation has linked the world’s highest-paid footballer with a shock return to the San Siro, having only left the 2010 Champions League winners in the summer, while Chelsea is also thought to be monitoring developments with interest. Eto’o is quoted by Corriere dello Sport as saying: “I can only answer questions about Anzhi, and not the transfer market. Right now I am here in Russia, although I do not know what will happen in a month.
“I am focused on my future with Anzhi, and all that is said about Inter and Chelsea does not concern me.”
A lack of goals has hampered Claudio Ranieri’s men since the Cameroon international’s summer departure. In dropping to 17th place in the Serie A standings, the Lombardy club has hit just eight goals in six games at a ratio of just 1,33 per game.
l Cameroon coach Javier Clemente insists he will see out his contract until told otherwise by the federation. The Spaniard oversaw the Indomitable Lions’ shock failure to qualify for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations.
This has sparked widespread speculation over his future, but the former Spain coach insists he is still at post. “I will be there until they tell me otherwise – I have a contract until the 30th June 2012,” Clemente told BBC Sport on Thursday.
Meanwhile Cameroon Football Federation (Fecafoot) said last Thursday that it has started the search for a coach to replace Clemente.
“The federation has stepped up efforts to get a new coach for the Lions before the end of this month so as to give him enough time to prepare the team to qualify for both the 2014 World Cup and 2013 African Cup of Nations qualifiers,” Fecafoot spokesman Junior Binyam said.
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The federation insists the Spaniard had failed in his mission to get the Indomitable Lions through to the 2012 African Nations Cup.
“It is very clear to everybody now that Clemente has failed in his chief mission since he failed to take the Lions to the Nations Cup next January in neighbouring Gabon and Equatorial Guinea,” Binyam added.
Binyam said the federation had received many applications from within and outside the country and had already interviewed and held discussions with some candidates.
Three names would be submitted to the Sports and Physical Education minister next week for a final decision.
Media reports said Frenchman Denis Lavagne, coach of the country’s champions Coton Sport, was the favourite, but former international Patrick Mboma was also in the running.
Last month, Fecefoot issued a statement denying it had done a deal for former France manager Raymond Domenech to take over the role from Clemente, who became manager after last year’s World Cup.
Cameroon’s failure to qualify for the Nations Cup was only the second time in the last 16 attempts that they have missed out on the tournament.
