Inter Milan has reportedly reached a deal with Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala for the transfer of striker Samuel Eto'o, a deal that should make the Cameroon international the highest paid footballer in the world. After several days of negotiations, Italian media report Sunday that the two clubs have agreed on a transfer fee of €27 million ($38.9 million) and that the deal will be formalized Monday. Anzhi is expected to give Eto'o a three-year contract worth €20 million ($28.8 million) per season, surpassing the estimated €12 million ($17.3 million) that Cristiano Ronaldo earns at Real Madrid and the €10.5 million ($15.1 million) that Lionel Messi is paid by Barcelona. Anzhi, from the troubled southern Russian province of Dagestan, is owned by billionaire oil tycoon Suleiman Kerimov. At 30, Eto'o is still in his prime, but 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 €29 million ($42 million) Barcelona paid Arsenal last 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.
