BARCELONA: Barcelona coach Josep Guardiola admitted Monday that it would be better if Cameroon striker Samuel Eto’o were to leave the club.

“I fully understand that peole ask why. He is a wonderful player. Everyone knows there are no ‘football’ reasons. So why? It is a question of feeling,” Guardiola told a news conference as Barcelona resumed training. “I feel that it is the best for the team, for the club, but I don’t dare say that it is best for Samuel. I am very grateful to Samuel, not for this year but for the five years he has spent here.”

Eto’o is currently negotiating with Inter Milan as part of a proposed deal that would see him join the club while Inter Milan’s Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic would move to Barcelona. The 28-year-old, who joined the Catalan side in 2004, has a year left in his contract with Barcelona. He was the club’s top scorer in the Spanish league last season.

When Guardiola took over from Frank Rijkaard last year he made it clear that he wanted Eto’o along with Ronaldinho and Deco to leave, reportedly because of problems that the African striker had caused in the dressing room. Ronaldinho was sold to AC Milan, Deco went to Chelsea but Eto’o stayed because Barcelona did not receive any convincing offers for him.