Eto'o reveals Arsenal snub back in 2000

Chelsea striker Samuel Eto'o has revealed that he turned down an offer from Arsenal back in 2000 before he ended up joining Real Mallorca.

The Cameroon international heaped praise on the former Mallorca boss Luis Aragones for having made him the footballer that he is today. He insisted that a move to Arsenal might have proved detrimental to his career and he has no regrets having turned them down.


"I met Luis at a crucial moment in my life where I had to take the right direction - and thanks to him I did," Eto'o told The Sun.


"I was about to sign that very afternoon at Arsenal and maybe I would have never been the player I am today.


"Luis picked me, then I ended up joining Barcelona. That decision changed everything."


The former Barcelona forward ,who sealed a summer switch to Chelsea following a fire sale at Anzhi Makhachkala, is likely to make his debut in Saturday against Everton and expressed his excitement to reunite with Jose Mourinho.


Eto'o told Sky Sports News: "After all that's happened in Russia over the last couple of months, I had a few proposals from European clubs - but none of them had Jose Mourinho.


"It was an opportunity for me to team up with him again, and have the opportunity to continue working with him like I did at Inter Milan. And that is the reason I am here."