Fulham close in on Schwarzer

9:56am Thursday 22nd May 2008

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By Lee Hall »

MARK Schwarzer was last night reported to be on the verge of joining Fulham.

After more than a decade at the Riverside Stadium, the Middlesbrough goalkeeper has been linked with joining the Cottagers on a free transfer.

Despite interest from Juventus and Bayern Munich, sources in London claim the Australia international will sign a twoyear deal at Craven Cottage.

Schwarzer, 35, is keen to keep playing at the top level until the World Cup in 2010.

Tottenham, meanwhile, have distanced themselves from reports linking the club with a bid for Barcelona's Cameroon striker Samuel Eto'o.

Spanish sources have indicated the 27-year-old is considered surplus to requirements at Camp Nou and Barcelona are trying drum up an auction.

Spurs, who are likely to make a whole raft of overseas signings during the summer, have been regularly linked with the 2006 Champions League winner, who last season was competing for a place in the side with Ronaldinho, Thierry Henry and Lionel Messi, among others.

There are also reports both Juande Ramos, the London side's Spanish manager, and Damien Comolli, their French sporting director, have had meetings with Eto'o's representatives - a claim firmly denied by Tottenham.

Spurs were close to signing Eto'o five years ago when he was with Real Mallorca but the move broke down over financial terms.

Since then he has scored 77 goals in 108 games for Barcelona but is no longer an automatic selection.

A club source said: The normal thing here is that when we sign a player we announce it but we don't comment at all on just speculation.

A problem is that there is so much of it from so many sources that if fans keep reading this speculation they are in danger of being misled.'' Spurs, who have also been linked with a move for relegated Real Zaragoza's strikers Diego Milito and Sergio Garcia, will not comment either on suggestions Crystal Palace midfielder John Bostock, 16, is to join them.