..but not until July.
Ronaldinho, the Brazilian superstar, has agreed to join Chelsea
but not until the start of next season.
He spent yesterday afternoon with his agent brother, Roberto de
Assis Moreira, in talks with Barcelona president Joan Laporta in a
desperate attempt to secure an immediate move to Stamford
Bridge.
But a lack of time ahead of last night's closure of the transfer
window denied Chelsea and the Catalan club the chance to reach an
agreement and the 27-year-old double World Player of the Year will
now make the switch next July. As Sportsmail revealed on Monday,
Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich spent last weekend in talks with
Moreira in an audacious bid to bring the World Cup and Champions
League winner to the Premier League.
But during informal discussions the two clubs were unable to agree
a fee, Chelsea valuing the player at around 70million euros
(£47.5million), but Barcelona demanding nearer 100m euros
(£66m).
On Thursday night, Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon said they
would not be signing Ronaldinho in what remained of the transfer
window and made the point that it would be of no use to them to
bring him over in January either. That was because, by then, he
would be cup-tied for the Champions League, but Kenyon admitted
that Ronaldinho was the kind of player Chelsea would like and said
'never say never'.
Now, it is understood, all parties accept it would be more prudent
to delay for 11 months, although Ronaldinho is said to be
frustrated because he was given a strong indication that Barcelona
would be prepared to let him leave at the right price.
Yesterday he expressed that disappointment to friends but said he
was now confident he would be a Chelsea player for the start of
next season when a deal would be more attractive to the English
club as he will only have two years left on his contract by
then.
