Following in his idols' footsteps? Barcelona target names Lionel Messi and Samuel Eto'o as boyhood hero amid talk of €30m transfer to La Liga champions

Eyong has made his ambitions clear. In a recent interview with SportyTV, the 22-year-old striker said Barcelona has always been the club he dreamed of representing. He spoke about idolising Eto’o during his early years and admiring Messi as the “best” player he has ever seen.

"When I was a child, I used to watch Eto'o's games at Barcelona. For me, Messi is the best, and playing with him would be a dream I wouldn't want to wake up from," Eyong said.

The ambitious forward has his eyes on dominating two continents - targeting success on Europe's biggest stage as well as the African Cup of Nations.

"In two years, I see myself winning the Champions League-why not in a year-and the Africa Cup of Nations is also a goal for me in a few months," he added.

Eyong says the foundation of his rise is focus and discipline, stressing that “the most important thing in life is your brain. If you don’t have concentration, you lose everything.”

His performances this season back up his ambition. Six goals and three assists in 12 La Liga matches have put him among the top scorers in Spain.

Eyong’s impact has triggered interest across Europe. CSKA Moscow tested Levante with an early €30 million proposal, which the player and club rejected immediately. Barcelona and Chelsea have since shown admiration, while Arsenal, Real Madrid and Manchester United continue to track him closely.

Despite the attention, Levante are firm in their stance: Eyong will not be sold this season. Club owner Jose Danvila said they receive offers “every day” but keeping the team in La Liga outweighs any financial temptation. Levante sit 19th in the table and consider the striker essential to their survival push.

With no intention of leaving Spain, the idea of playing for Barcelona, the club he grew up watching, remains the one that excites him the most.

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Eyong’s transfer situation is complicated by a detailed contract setup dating back to his time at Villarreal. When he left Villarreal for Levante in 2025, he signed a four-year deal worth €1m annually and a €30m release clause. But Villarreal inserted multiple sell-on conditions that guarantee them a share of any future sale.

For deals under €7.5m they take 80%, between €7.5m and €15m the fee is split evenly, and anything above €15m gives Villarreal 20% of the proceeds. If Levante reject an offer above €15m, they must still compensate Villarreal for what they would have earned.

Villarreal also retain the right to match any future bid for the striker. This means any negotiation for Eyong involves not just Levante, but Villarreal’s financial interests too.

Eyong’s journey to this point has been far from straightforward. He began at Cadiz B, making only scattered appearances before Villarreal signed him in 2024. He made his La Liga debut in April 2025 and scored his first top-flight goal weeks later, but limited minutes pushed him to seek a new start at Levante.

The move transformed him. Signed for €3m, he earned a starting role almost immediately and responded with six goals in 12 matches.

Eyong says hard work is behind everything. “I came here to play regularly and to help keep Levante in La Liga. The key to my scoring streak is simply hard work.”

Levante manager Julian Calero has praised him as a player who “can change a match on his own,” and insists that keeping Eyong is vital for their season.

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