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LONDON. — Everton manager Roberto Martinez has hinted that striker Samuel Eto’o could be on the verge of leaving Goodison Park — amid interest from clubs including Italian side Sampdoria. Sampdoria’s offer is around £700 000 short of what Eto’o was asking but they will try and generate more funding via sponsorship.

Eto’o has already spoken to Sampdoria’s eccentric president Massimo Ferrero on the phone.

Martinez confirmed that the former Barcelona forward, who missed the Toffees’ penalty shoot-out defeat at West Ham in the FA Cup on Tuesday night, has been the subject of interest from two unnamed clubs.

Eto’o only signed a two-year contract with Everton in August and has found the back of the net four times for the Toffees since then, but has often found himself playing in a number 10 role and even out wide.

“With Samuel, we have a really good relationship and we are looking at his situation,” Martinez said in the wake of Everton’s 9-8 shoot-out defeat at the Boleyn Ground where the match ended 2-2 after extra-time.

“We had a couple of clubs contact us in the last 12 hours so I decided it was better now to leave him out of the squad and allow us a different focus in the group.

“We will decide (in the) next few days the next step. He’s been fantastic for us, we’ve got a really good relationship and we will see what’s (the) next best step for both (parties).” — Mailonline.