BBC African Footballer of the Year 2011: Profile - Samuel Eto'o

A move from Italian champions Inter Milan to the Russian Premier League was not perhaps the most obvious move for a player of Eto’o’s calibre, but money talks.

Now he is one of the world’s highest paid footballers having signed a three year deal with Anzhi Makachkala.

There he is reportedly earning around $475,000 a week.

But the striker says it’s about more than just the money.

Anzhi have only had one full season back in the Russian top flight but has become a major player under an owner who has poured money into the club.

Suleiman Kerimov is an oil tycoon whose fortune has been estimated at US$7.8bn.

Anzhi players live and train at a training camp outside Moscow for security reasons and travel to Makhachkala for home games, flying about 1,250 miles 15 times a season.

Despite the dangers in Dagestan, where a low-level Islamic insurgency has made the republic very unstable, Anzhi have already managed to attract players such as former Brazil international Roberto Carlos and Yuri Zhirkov.

Eto’o calls this project at Anzhi "Something incredible, these people have thrown themselves into their dream,".

"It’s good to dream, and I was born a dreamer. I want to dream with these people".

The striker immediately endeared himself to Anzhi fans by scoring on his debut for the club in August and has continued to find the back of the net.

Eto’o says he dreams of winning the Russian league title and returning to the European Champions League with Anzhi.

To leave one of Europe’s biggest stages and move to Russia is an unusual move, but Eto’o says he could not ask God for anything more.

Earlier in the year while still at Milan, Eto’o helped his club overcome Bayern Munich in the last 16 of the Champions League.

Having lost the first leg at home 1-0, he scored Inter’s opening goal and set up the other two in a 3-2 victory to see Inter through on away goals.

He left Milan with two goals in the Italian Cup Final, in which Inter defeated Palermo 3-1 to take his tally to 37 for the season, a personal record.

Eto'o, who has previously played in Spain with Barcelona, Mallorca and Real Madrid, is the most decorated player in African history.

He has been named Caf's African Footballer of the Year four times and has won the European Champions League three times.

He has also won the Spanish and Italian leagues, an Olympic gold medal and the Africa Cup of Nations, twice with Cameroon.