London: Samuel Eto'o on Thursday became the second player this week to join Chelsea from Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala. The Cameroon striker signed a one-year deal to be reunited with Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, who he played under at Inter Milan.
"I am very happy to be here but also anxious because I want to get playing as soon as possible," the four-time African footballer of the year said. "It wasn't a hard decision. I saw the qualities Chelsea have, and I was very happy with Jose Mourinho before, so when the opportunity came, I was very happy to take it."
Signing the 32-year-old Eto'o is at odds with Chelsea's recent transfer policy of signing younger players, and creates further uncertainty about the futures of fellow strikers Demba Ba and Fernando Torres.
Chelsea also signed Willian from Anzhi this week as the previously big-spending Russian club's owner slashes the budget. Financial details of the Eto'o deal were not disclosed, but Anzhi will be saving a reported 20 million euros ($26 million) a year from its wage bill by selling him.
Chelsea appear to have turned to Eto'o after failing in a bid to sign Wayne Rooney from Manchester United. "He's a Man United player and no more than that," Mourinho said.
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