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Barcelona to allow star trio to leave

17/06/2008

Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola has confirmed that the club's star trio of Deco, Ronaldinho and Samuel Eto'o will all be free to leave this summer.

All three players have been heavily linked with moves to other clubs this summer, with several Premier League managers apparently expressing an interest in acquiring the Catalan giants' cast-offs.

Cameroon striker Eto'o has been rumoured to be on Tottenham Hotspur manager Juande Ramos' wish-list, while Manchester City owner Thaksin Shinawtra has spoken of his desire to bring Brazilian playmaker Ronaldinho to his club.

Deco has been linked with a move to Chelsea - rumours that have resurfaced with renewed vigour since his current Portuguese national coach Luiz Felipe Scolari was unveiled as the Blues' new manager.

And today, Guardiola admitted he will allow all three players to depart the Camp Nou during the summer transfer window.

"All the players in the squad last season appeared to me to be of a very high standard," he said.

"But with the technical secretary [Txiki Beguiristain] we are forming a new squad and Deco, Ronaldinho and Eto'o are not in our minds."

He continued: "If Ronaldinho sincerely wants to be the player that he was again then he can be here.

"But the situation has deteriorated and the plan now is to create a strong squad."

Guardiola also revealed he is searching for a central striker to add to his squad ahead of next season.

And this has prompted rumours he may emerge as a rival to Inter Milan manager Jose Mourinho in the race to sign out-of-favour Chelsea forward Didier Drogba.