Along with Jose Mourinho and Cristiano Ronaldo moving to Real Madrid, the departure of Barcelona great Ronaldinho for AC Milan, where he would be reunited with Brazil teammates Ronaldo, Cafu and Kaka (presuming he doesn’t leave for Madrid, either), would top the shortlist of big off-season moves in Europe this summer.
Those rumors were lent more substance Wednesday as the player’s agent, his brother Roberto Assis, spoke with reporters in Milan about the possible move after meeting with one of his other clients, the Milan striker Ricardo Oliveira, another Brazilian. According to the Italian paper Corriere dell Sport, Assis also met with Milan vice president Adriano Galliani and sporting director Ariedo Braida to discuss Ronaldinho’s future.
While Barcelona would be unwilling to sell the two-time World Player of the Year — his contract lasts until 2011 — the paper says that if Milan and Assis were to agree to personal terms, then Ronaldinho’s move to the San Siro would be a virtual certainty. “My brother, however, cannot deny that he likes Milan,” the agent said, “there are many Brazilian players here who form a family and always welcome him.” Milan’s President Silvio Berlusconi said he believes “there is a good chance” the player would soon join his club.