Manchester City have officially ended their pursuit of Barcelona striker Samuel Eto’o.

The club confirmed they had given up hope of signing the Cameroon international on their website.

Chief executive Garry Cook said: “Samuel Eto’o is undoubtedly a fine footballer but the circumstances surrounding him were such that the deal could not be completed.

“We now feel the time is right to pursue other avenues and we have a clear and strategic transfer plan, which we continue to follow.”

It seemed the striker was bound for Eastlands a fortnight ago, when Barcelona accepted a bid for the star, who scored in last season’s Champions League final triumph against Manchester United.

However, the deal quickly became mired in a contractual dispute between Eto’o and the Catalan outfit.

The player, who is about to embark on the last year of his contract at the Nou Camp, felt he should receive a significant portion of the £18million City were willing to pay as he would be entitled to leave for nothing next summer.

Blues boss Mark Hughes initially signalled his intention to wait for Eto’o to resolve the wrangle.

Yet, as the week has dragged on, the argument just got more confusing and complicated.

It was suggested City were ready to offer Eto’o a deadline of this weekend to determine his future.

In the end, chairman Khaldoon al-Mubarak did not even give the 28-year-old that long, with Barcelona officially contacted on Friday with confirmation the deal was off.

While it could be viewed the latest development is merely posturing on City’s part, privately the club are adamant the transfer is now highly unlikely to go ahead.

To an extent, they understand Eto’o’s demands. However, they also feel a contract said to be worth around £200,000 a week was alone enough to keep Eto’o happy and are unwilling to let the situation drag on any longer.

After returning from a pre-season training camp in Germany, City are due to head for South Africa on Wednesday lunchtime for a three-match tour that will begin preparations for a new campaign that opens at Blackburn on August 15.

City have already signed Roque Santa Cruz from Blackburn to bolster their forward line this summer, but have loaned out Brazilian Jo to Everton on a season-long loan.

They have also ben linked with moves for the out-of-contract Carlos Tevez and Villarreal’s Giuseppe Rossi, both of whom are former Manchester United players.

In defence, City have been trying to sign Chelsea captain John Terry, while they have also been linked with Everton’s Joleon Lescott.