Eto'o Exit Rumors Continue to Surface

Striker Samuel Eto'o's time at Everton may be short-lived if recent rumors about his imminent departure are true. Eto'o signed a two-year contract with the Merseyside club after struggling to make an impact during his one year with Chelsea.

There have been a number of reports in recent days linking Eto'o to a move to Serie A club Sampdoira and some of the reports say his agent is already in Italy finalizing the deal. The specifics (if you can even call them that) of the deal vary depending on where you read them. It appears that Eto'o would head to Sampdoria on an 18-month deal, but it in unclear whether the deal is a loan or a permanent switch. That being said, the majority of outlets are reporting it as a loan.

I just don't see how this deal makes sense for Everton. The rumored loan would have Eto'o leave the club for the remainder of his deal, meaning Everton get nothing out of the deal other than less wages to pay. While Eto'o has been getting less time on the pitch with the return of Arouna Kone, but prior to these rumors there has been no word of Eto'o's displeasure with the situation or the team in general. By all accounts Eto'o has been an ideal teammate and role-model for the younger players on the squad.

If this deal ends up being an outright transfer and not a loan, it may not be an awful idea. Eto'o has been playing largely out of position since he arrived, and any funds received from his sale could go towards much needed improvements in the squad. Then again, this could be completely untrue and Eto'o may be with the team for the duration of his contract. Welcome to the transfer window folks, get your popcorn ready because it's only getting stranger from here.