Manchester City will step up their ambitious plan to
bring Ronaldinho to England when senior board members fly to his
family home in Brazil at the weekend. Sources here close to owner
Thaksin Shinawatra revealed that members of City's Thai board are
expected to meet Ronaldinho face-to-face in Porto
Alegre.
Thaksin's private jet has been placed at the disposal of the
City party. Should City pull off the spectacular coup, the transfer
would be the most dramatic in the history of the Barclays Premier
League. Mark Hughes, who should be confirmed as City's new manager
within the next 48 hours, would be able to pair Ronaldinho with
£20million centre forward Jo in an all-Brazilian attack next
season.
Sven Goran Eriksson formally parted company with the club
yesterday and will become Mexico's new coach, while Hughes was
given permission by Blackburn to talk to City after the two clubs
agreed on compensation. There will be other signings, too, as
Thaksin opens his chequebook to support his new boss.
The latest development follows a series of meetings between
Thaksin's right-hand man Pairoj Piempongsant and Ronaldinho's
brother and chief negotiator Roberto De Assis. A clandestine visit
to City's stadium two months ago was first revealed in Sportsmail after the parties had been
introduced by the influential transfer broker Kia Joorabchian.
City's extravagant ambition has been laughed off around the
football world - but that would be to underestimate the
determination of their Thai owner and his new executive chairman,
Garry Cook. Talks have opened with the player's major sponsor Nike,
along with other possible investors who may help finance the
exorbitant wage demands. Ronaldinho, it is claimed in Spain, wants
around £200,000-a-week to leave Barcelona. Such a deal would make
him the highest-paid player in England - dwarfing the
£135,000-a-week paid by Chelsea to England captain John Terry.
It is no coincidence that Cook is joining City from Nike, where
he was a brand president and with whom Ronaldinho has a long-term
contract. City have been given clearance from Barcelona to open
detailed talks. A pay-as-you-play deal could be thrashed out with
club and player, with performance-related bonuses for a forward who
has scored an impressive 70 goals in 145 La Liga games.
A source in Spain said: "Ronaldinho is showing a growing
interest in going to England and while there is still much
negotiating ahead, it is possible. Also in City's favour is this:
Who else can afford him?"
Hughes has given his cautious approval to the pursuit of the
28-year-old, who has been considered the best player in the world
for several seasons. Hughes will want to know whether Ronaldinho
can still deliver and if he has the physical know-how to cope with
the pace of the Premier League. He will also want assurances about
the Brazilian's fitness. Ronaldinho has recently fallen from grace
at Barcelona, where his general match fitness has been called into
question following a series of disputes with the now departed coach
Frank Rijkaard.
However, he was World Player of the Year for the second time
only two years ago and City believe that, under Hughes, his fire
can be rekindled. Initial talks have even taken place on the shirt
Ronaldinho will wear - City's No 10 - and how the club will cope
with the commercial pressures of such a signing.
Barcelona's club shop, for instance, was dominated by Ronaldinho
dolls, keyrings, posters, games and his own range of kits and
balls. He is also one of the faces of EA Sports computer games and
remains a popular 'brand' because of his range of tricks. The City
board, however, know the deal will only work commercially if
Ronaldinho is delivering on the pitch.
Sportsmail has learned
that Ronaldinho has already been exchanging positive texts with
City's new Brazilian capture, the 21-year-old striker Jo who will
wear the No 14 shirt next season. Even the most positive of
Thaksin's aides believed City would lose out eventually to AC
Milan, but that trail has gone cold. De Assis went to Thailand two
weeks ago to see if City were still keen on his brother. Chelsea
were expected to sign Ronaldinho following talks in London before
the January trasnfer window but they, too, have stepped away from
the negotiating table.
Sources claim his wage demands were "too much even for Roman
Abramovich".
City, however, hope a clever deal involving sponsors will
restrict their liability. Despite City's lack of Champions League
football - they will instead play in the UEFA Cup next season after
qualifying through the Fair Play League - Ronaldinho is said to
have been 'very positive' about their approach.
In a recent poll in Asia, he was still voted the No 1 player in
the world, ahead of Milan's Kaka and Manchester United winger
Cristiano Ronaldo.
City, who have plans to develop their status in the Far East,
where they trail United and Liverpool considerably, will hope
Ronaldinho's signing can help drive global shirt sales.
"The deal is still at the possible stage, rather than the
probable stage," was the word from Spain last night. '"But it seems
that anything is possible with the type of money City are ready to
pay."
Ronaldinho isnt worth the money...if it were Ronaldinho of
2005/06, maybe...now..dont think sooo
