SoccerNews.com

Barcelona's new coach Pep Guardiola, who had deemed Samuel Eto'o surplus when he was appointed in June, said Tuesday that he is now counting on the Cameroon international for the upcoming season.

“When I was unveiled I said I was not counting on him but I also said we would treat him as any other player. My job is to get a good performance from the players which the club makes available to me,” he told a news conference.

“During the past two, three weeks, the past month that we have been together I have been very pleased with his performance, not only on the pitch but in terms of his relationship with his teammates. I only have words of praise,” he added.

Eto's was one of three high-profile players — Portugal's Deco and Brazil's Ronaldinho being the other two — who Guardiola said he was not counting on shortly after he was named as a replacement for Frank Rijkaard.

Deco has since joined English side Chelsea while Ronaldinho has joined Italian side AC Milan.

Eto'o, the top scorer in the Spanish league last season, has shined in the pre-season, helping Barcelona to win all five of its friendlies in the United States and Scotland.

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