While transfers between the two giants of Spanish football are relatively rare, Barcelona and Real Madrid appear to have called a truce in their own particular Cold War, and are rumoured to be negotiating a return to the Bernabeu for Cameroon striker Samuel Eto'o in a possible swap deal also involving Brazil star Robinho.

New Barça coach Pep Guardiola has made no secret that Eto'o does not figure in his plans for the new season though there are very few clubs in the world capable of meeting the striker's elevated salary demands.

For their part, while Schuster admits that Eto'o would be a perfect foil for Ruud van Nistelrooy up front, club president, Ramón Calderón, is concerned at the fans' reaction in light of incident following Barcelona's penultimate title win celebrations when the Cameroonian was filmed chanting an offensive taunt directed at their Madrid rivals.

Eto'o started his professional career with Real Madrid as a minor in 1997, and trained with the B team. However, when Real's B team was relegated to the Second Division B (where non-EU players are not permitted to play), Eto'o was loaned out first to Leganés, then Real Mallorca, who signed him at the end of a second successful season.