Does This Look Like The World's Soon To Be Highest Paid Soccer Player?

I'm not a hater, never have been and never will be. Therefore, when I see a guy making an absurd amount of money to play a sport, I can only tip my hat towards him and say well done sir.

Samuel Eto'o is a fine soccer player. Is he the world's best? Haha not even close but that doesn't matter since some Russian club that I've never heard of-Anzhi Makhachkala-has agreed to a transfer with Inter Milan which will make the Cameroon star the world's highest paid player ($28.8 million per season).

After several days of negotiations, Italian media report Sunday that the two clubs have agreed on a transfer fee of $38.9 million and that the deal will be formalized Monday.

Anzhi is expected to give Eto'o a three-year contract worth $28.8 million per season, surpassing the estimated $17.3 million that Cristiano Ronaldo earns at Real Madrid and the $15.1 million that Lionel Messi is paid by Barcelona.

Anzhi, from the southern Russian province of Dagestan, is owned by billionaire oil tycoon Suleiman Kerimov.

The 30-year-old Eto is considered still in his prime. He has already won three Champions League titles -- two with Barcelona and one with Inter -- and is apparently excited about playing in the developing Russian league.

In Forbes magazine's latest list of the world's richest people, Kerimov's net worth was estimated at $7.8 billion, tying him for 118th place with Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi and family.

Anzhi's captain is 38-year-old Roberto Carlos, once the standout left back for Brazil.

The transfer fee for Eto'o also makes it one of the most expensive deals this season, close to the $42 million Barcelona paid Arsenal on Monday to bring Cesc Fabregas back to his childhood club.

The biggest deal during the current transfer window was the $62 million Manchester City paid Atletico Madrid for Sergio Aguero last month. Also, Paris Saint-Germain paid $60 million to Palermo for Javier Pastore.

Eto'o led Inter with 37 goals in all competitions last season, having replaced Milito as the club's biggest scoring threat. He was a key member of the Inter side that won the Champions League in 2010, often accepting an attacking midfield or defensive role for then-Inter coach Jose Mourinho.

Before joining Inter in 2009, Eto'o played five seasons with Barcelona.

Makhachkala is plagued by violence from insurgency that has spread across the North Caucasus after two separatist wars in Dagestan's neighboring region of Chechnya.

Anzhi players live and train at a training camp outside Moscow and travel to Makhachkala for home games, flying about 1,250 miles 15 times a season.

People will laugh at this deal (and rightfully so), it is absurd. However, someone has to be the world's highest paid player and if Eto'o wants to figuratively pay the price by playing in some backwater, dangerous area well good for him I guess.

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Eto'o named African player of the year

Fours must have been lucky today for players of the year as Samuel Eto'o picked up his fourth African player of the year award.

The forward for Inter Milan and Cameroon finished ahead of Ghana forward Asamoah Gyan and Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba in votes cast by the coaches of African's 53 national teams.

Eto'o, who also won the award in 2003, 2004 and 2005, helped Inter Milan win an unprecedented treble of Serie A, Italian Cup and Champions League titles last season.
Abedi Pele and George Weah each won the award three times.

Ghana won the team of the year award and Serbian Milovan Rajevac, who quit as Ghana coach's in September, was voted coach of the year.

Ahmed Hassan won the African-based player of the year award after leading Egypt to the African Cup of Nations title.

Balotelli plays one game with Man City, gets hurt

Chalk it up to the fact that he played in Serie A but I can't believe it took this long for us to mention Mario Balotelli.

The Italian bozo is one of soccer's great headcases and he's already made quite an impact after his transfer from Inter Milan to Manchester City. Or maybe not and he scored a goal in his first game (an exhibition) but also tore his meniscus in the same match and will be out six weeks.

Like most bozos at this level, he's very talented (hence why he's stuck around) but he is kind of a poor man's Craig Bellamy in terms of nuttiness (not that crazy) and skills (good not great).

Balotelli made his long-awaited move to Eastlands from Inter in mid-August but, having made an instant impact with a goal on his debut against FC Timisoara, he sustained an injury in the same match.

A statement on the club's official website read: "Striker Mario Balotelli is to undergo surgery on his injured knee that could rule him out for up to six weeks.

"The Italian's injury is to the lateral meniscus, one of the two most crucial structures in the knee, and medical wisdom is to try and encourage the problem to heal without recourse to an operation.

"It was hoped that the symptoms would settle down but, once Balotelli began to step up his recovery programme this week, it became clear that action would need to be taken."

Balotelli has now flown back to Milan for the operation.

Seeing that disgusting haircut makes me wonder if Cisse is still alive? Last I heard, I think he was playing in Turkey (no joke).

Mourinho can't get out of Italy fast enough

It only took four days after winning the Champions League final with Inter Milan for Jose Mourinho to pick up his stuff and say: peace out suckers.

It's all going to be finalized on Monday with the Special One signing on with Real Madrid.

Pairing him with Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the World's top 3 players, should make for fascinating stuff.

Madrid sacked Manuel Pellegrini on Wednesday and outlined their intention to replace him with Mourinho once both they and the Portuguese had negotiated his release from Inter.

The two clubs had been struggling to reach a compromise as Inter were insisting they must be paid the full €16 million due to them under the terms of Mourinho's contract.

However, an agreement, reported to be worth €8 million, has been reached after a meeting between Real president Florentino Perez and his Inter counterpart Massimo Moratti in Milan.

A statement from the Italian club read: "The president Massimo Moratti and Florentino Perez met this afternoon.

"In light of the excellent and constructive relations of friendship that exist between the two clubs, an agreement was reached on the contractual clause that binds Jose Mourinho to FC Internazionale. The time and the manner by which the agreement will be honoured has been defined.

"Massimo Moratti thanks Florentino Perez for his willingness to join him in Milan and for his courtesy, which confirms, once again, the strong link between the two prestigious club.''

Real director general Jorge Valdano said earlier on Friday that the reason for Pellegrini's sacking was that the board believed the Chilean's record in Real's key games was not good enough.

"Pellegrini created a very good working environment, avoiding dressing room conflicts and he had an impeccable record in the league," Valdano said. "But in the most important games of the season he was not able to succeed and so we decided to dismiss him.''

Valdano was also adamant striker Gonzalo Higuain would not be leaving the Bernabeu despite speculation in England linking him with big-spending Manchester City.

Higuain was Madrid's leading scorer in the Primera Division with 27 goals in 32 appearances in the recently-completed season and his fellow Argentinian insists he is not for sale.

Valdano said: "Higuain is under contract for three more years. He has been a benchmark for others and is not available for transfer.''

And as Shimer said on Sunday when we saw the first reports of this, Italian football is not for Mourinho. Their boring, defensive style is not what he favors and putting him in Spain should allow him to continue to flourish playing an exciting, attacking brand of football.

Inter Milan shocks the soccer world in 1st leg

Since Messi dropped four goals on Arsenal in the quarterfinals, most people expected Inter Milan to roll over for Barcelona in the Champions League semifinals.

Not so much. They protected their home field and won 3-1 behind a great second half push.

Barcelona is not dead by any means but their offense will have to step up at home while their defense can't have the numerous breakdowns they suffered today.

The second leg is next Tuesday in Spain.

And come back tomorrow for our live blog of Bayern Munich at Lyon.

Maicon shaken up

Maicon just went down after being caught by Messi's shoulder right on his jaw.

He probably has a concussion and his day is done as they're taking him off on a stretcher.

3-1 Inter

A counterattack with Eto'o crossing to Sneijder was finished off by a Milito header.

It looked like he might have been a step offsides but the goal stood.

Ibrahimovic came off after the goal for Pendal.

Julio Cesar, more than just a badass name

Inter Milan goalkeeper and Brazil's last line of defense, Julio Cesar just kept his club ahead with two rapid fire saves.

Pandev is the first sub for Inter Milan and Stankovic is in. Can't say Pandev did much in this match.

Dream start for Inter Milan

Well what do you know, Inter Milan just went up 2-1 with a goal from Maicon.

The Brazilian fullback made a run right up the middle of the field and Milito gave him a good pass that he only had to touch by Victor Valdes. As the announcers have said, it's been a perfect start to the second half for Inter Milan.

Mourinho is pumping his fist and Barce looks shell-shocked.

1-1 at halftime

Sneijder got a yellow card just before the half on a challenge that was barely worthy of a free kick, let alone a booking.

1-1 at halftime. It's been pretty even so far. Barcelona had a couple great chances early, then so did Inter but they bungled them. After Pedro put Barcelona up, Inter seemed to respond and I'd say that they've carried play just slighty for the rest of the half.

Getting the equalizer by Sneijder was huge. Take a breather.

Sneijder checks in

In a move that was much deserved, Inter Milan just tied it up in the 30th minute as Dutch midfield Wizard Wesley Sneijder coralled a nice little touch from Milito and struck it by Victor Valdes.

Eto'o started the sequence with a pathetic cross by Inter had plenty of numbers and they were able to work with it.

Milito with another near miss

In the 27th minute, Argentina star and Inter Milan striker Diego Milito had another great chance that he put wide.

He broke down the left wing, onside, past the Barcelona defense which has had a couple holes this half but his right-footed shot curled wide of the far post.

Barcelona is still up 1-0 in the 30th minute.

Proving you have to take advantage of chances against superior teams

Just moments after I posted a blog bashing Milito, Maxwell dribbled to the end line then pulled back for a wide open left-footed blast by Pedro Rodriguez.

1-0 Barcelona in the 19th minute, Inter is known for its outstanding defense but they had a complete breakdown there to give up the all-important away goal. It was Rodriguez's 20th goal of the season.

And just moments later Inter puts a header wide.

Eto'o picks up yellow

Samuel Eto'o striker extraordinaire of Inter Milan and Cameroon just received a yellow card in the 12th minute for a tough challenge.

It was a weak call but luckily, he doesn't have another yellow from previous games.