SAMUEL ETO'O will drop his astronomic wage demands to join Manchester United.

The Barcelona striker has been haggling over a move to Manchester City for nearly six weeks and has asked for £200,000 a week to quit the Nou Camp.

He also wants a £12million slice of the £25m transfer fee, which has prevented the deal from going through as the European champions stand firm.

But the Cameroon international would waive such a lump sum if Sir Alex Ferguson came in for him. Fergie could still be in for a striker - despite the capture of Michael Owen - and only a club of United's stature will prise Eto'o away from Spain.

He would accept a cut-price £150,000-a-week deal that would still make him the top earner at Old Trafford instead of the possibility of mid-table football at Eastlands.

One source close to the player said: "Samuel has not been convinced by a move to a mid-table side in the Premier League and neither will he sign a new deal at Barca."

Barcelona have offered the player a two-year extension on his current £100,000- a-week deal.

But Eto'o, 28, could play out his final year at Barcelona and be free to negotiate a lucrative swansong at the end of next season.

Barcelona will go ahead with their plans to sign David Villa this week regardless of Eto'o digging his heels in.

Coach Pep Guardiola has told sporting director Txiki Begiristain that he would have no problem having both Eto'o and Villa in the same team.

If Valencia turn down Barca's £40m offer for Villa, they will turn their attention to Diego Forlan. The Atletico Madrid striker has a £33m buyout clause, although Barca believe they could get him for closer to £30m.

United may have a rather Italian feel about it in years to come as Empoli 16 year old, Alberto Massacci, has agreed personal terms with a move to the Red Devils from Italy.

The deal is expected to be completed early next week as it is thought Massacci has already had and passed a medical at Carrington. The full-back spoke to Gazzetta dello Sport about how surprised and delighted he was when Sir Alex contacted him at first.


"When Sir Alex Ferguson rang me up, I couldn’t believe it. I had an hour-long conversation with him, in English. He seemed a humble person and nobody from the club made the pressure of an historic side weigh on my shoulders,” said the teenager.

"In life a chance like this only comes past you once, so you’ve got to grab it with both hands. It isn’t an easy decision aged 16 to leave home, family and friends, but I don’t want to have regrets."

It means that Alberto will join up with fellow countrymen, Davide Petrucci and Federico ‘Kiko’ Macheda at United.

United have been attacked verbally on poaching young talent from all over the world and it will add another club to the list of teams unhappy with United’s transfer styles, Empoli.

Federico Macheda was snapped up from the Lazio youth teams which left the Italian club less then impressed with the manner in which they lost a future star.

Wayne Rooney ended up in hospital after bashing his bonce when he slipped on his holiday yacht yesterday.

Doctors feared Manchester United star Roo, 23, may have suffered concussion so they kept him in for two and a half hours.

Pregnant wife Coleen, also 23, took him to a clinic in St Tropez after he tumbled over on deck.

An insider said: “He cut his head and everyone was worried he may have concussion so he was taken for a check-up.

“Wayne might have looked like he was trying to keep a low profile by wearing a cap and hoodie but he was probably trying to hide his cut.”

As he waited for doctors to treat him, Rooney was spotted popping out of the clinic to make phone calls. He also chewed his nails anxiously.

The insider added: “He was presumably phoning family in England to keep them informed.

“Obviously, it’s easy to jump to conclusions that the hospital visit was about Coleen and her pregnancy but she was there to give him moral support.”

Rooney was finally allowed out of the clinic when doctors were satisfied there was no serious damage.

Wayne and Coleen, who is due to give birth in October, have chartered the luxury yacht for a holiday in the South of France.

Seems Roo hasn’t quite found his feet when it comes to this sailing lark, though.

[attachment=12]Does anyone think he will kiss the badge before Christmas!!!:guinesssm

The Champions League Is Off Already as the First Qualifying Round Took Place the other day

Hibernians 0-6 Mogren
SP Tre Fiori 2-2 Sant Julià (4-5p)

Mogren and Sant Julia Advance The Next Round

From there On I think I will add all the results