Samuel Eto’o wants to sing an American swan song.
The Cameroonian striker is likely to leave Chelsea at the end of the 2013-14 season and wants to spend what could be his final playing years in Major League Soccer, according to the Guardian.
“Samuel Eto’o’s stint in the Premier League is set to be limited to a solitary season, with the veteran Cameroon forward expected to move to Major League Soccer once his contract at Chelsea expires next summer,” the report says.
“Los Angeles Galaxy, DC United and Club Deportivo Chivas USA are potential destinations. Seattle Sounders and Chicago Fire also likely to express interest. The four-time African player of the year had been heavily linked with FC Toronto, coached by the former Blackburn and Queens Park Rangers defender Ryan Nelsen, but is thought to favour a move to the US rather than Canada.”
Eto’o has scored four goals in 15 games since joining Chelsea from Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala last summer. He and Chelsea’s other strikers have failed to fire the Blues to the top of the Premier League, and it appears that Stamford Bridge will be but a pit-stop in his otherwise stellar career.
The 32-year-old played for Real Madrid, Barcelona and Inter Milan before moving to Anzhi where he became the highest-paid player in the world. Highlights of his club career include four league titles, three domestic cups and three UEFA Champions League titles. He has also played 115 times for Cameroon, scoring 55 goals for his country. Despite a rocky relationship with Cameroon’s soccer federation, he has helped his team win Olympic Gold (in 2000) and two Africa Cup of Nations titles (2000, 2002).
Eto’o would come to MLS as a Designated Player and be one of the league’s top earners and most famous faces. Toronto reportedly was willing to pay him £8 million-a-year ($13.1 million), and he could field similar offers in the coming months.
Eto’o will likely play for Cameroon at the 2014 FIFA World Cup before making a stateside move. As an African soccer icon, he would help increase MLS’ global appeal and, perhaps, score some goals and win a few trophies before retiring or moving to greener pastures.
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