Manchester City officials flew into Barcelona last night with
hopes raised and chequebook open - refusing to accept defeat in
their bold attempt to capture Ronaldinho's signature and the
completion of the biggest transfer coup in their history.
Chairman Thaksin Shinawatra's chief negotiator Pairoj
Piempongsant led a delegation for meetings with Barcelona president
Joan Laporta and for fresh talks with the Brazilian star
himself.
However, AC Milan responded by increasing their offer to
£15million yesterday and had their own talks with Barcelona.
Ronaldinho's brother and agent Roberto de Assis emerged from a
meeting with Milan chief executive Adriano Galliani to say: 'It
couldn't have gone better. Whether a deal will be done tonight
though, we'll have to see.'
Yet City's £22m offer - exclusively revealed in Sportsmail - has
been accepted by the Spaniards and City's wage offer is more than
double the Italian one. Only the lure of Milan's status is keeping
them in the hunt with the player still preferring the San Siro.
After spending £65m this summer, Laporta is under pressure to
accept the City offer and has asked Ronaldinho, 28, to take two or
three days to consider it - telling the Brazilian it would be
better for him and Barcelona if he chose Manchester.
Laporta confirmed last night: 'Ronaldinho and his agent have two
interesting proposals and they are leaning more towards the one
from Manchester City. We hope to have this resolved by the
weekend.'
And Spanish radio reported: 'A deal for Manchester City could be
completed in days. Milan must act quickly if they are still
serious.'
Piempongsant has had four meetings with De Assis, who has also
met Thaksin in Thailand. City, who open their season against
Eb/Stremur, of the Faroes, on Thursday, are saying nothing until
the contract has been signed but have put their commercial
department on alert for the explosion of interest the player's
arrival would ignite.
A four-year deal is expected with wages of around £200,000 a
week, partly supported by sponsors.
A City source said: 'If this happens, can anyone question the
ambition of the owner now. First Mark Hughes, then Jo and now the
very serious prospect of Ronaldinho.'
Thaksin told Sportsmail last month: 'He is a great player.
Whatever your club, you would want to see this player in England. I
am hearing good things about his hunger. The magic is still in his
boots. But you need a player who is about more than winning the
match and Ronaldinho can achieve so much more for the club.'
Ronaldinho returned to Spain last night after an intensive
fitness campaign left him looking trim. He will play in the Beijing
Olympics as an over-aged player - a stumbling block for Milan - and
did not show for the first day of Barcelona's pre-season
yesterday.
Barcelona believe that Alexander Hleb will join them by the
weekend for £15m from Arsenal and may yet return for Emmanuel
Adebayor.
