Ronaldinho to Milan: principal agreement

Catalan radio station Ona FM claimed first last night that Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain, AC Milan representative for the Spanish market Ernesto Bronzetti and Roberto de Assís, brother and agent of Barcelona playmaker Ronaldinho (28), met on Thursday in the Rey Juan Carlos I hotel in the centre of Barcelona to discuss the transfer of the Brazilian. The meeting had been planned during a first contact earlier this week between Roberto and Barcelona.

Although Roberto would have pressured Barcelona by saying his brother will only leave on a free transfer, the parties would now have agreed that Ronaldinho will leave for a transfer fee between 15 and 20 million euro°. The radio station says a new meeting has been scheduled for next week to look at the further details of the agreement.

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo gives today a slightly different version of yesterday's events. The paper says it all began earlier this week when Inter seemed willing to step back in the race, making Milan decide to act immediately and try to close the deal as soon as possible. Roberto nevertheless would have promised Inter Milan president Massimo Moratti that he won't sign anything before the two have met.

Milan representative Bronzetti first met with Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain in Barcelona, where Bronzetti put down a formal offer of 20 million euro, lifting that up until a principal agreement was found between the two teams on a transfer fee of 30 million euro*. A Barcelona official told the paper that it was time for the club to put an end on the collaboration with Ronaldinho.

Bronzetti then asked if Milan could enter direct negotiations with the player and his agent, something that was allowed by Barcelona. Yesterday afternoon Bronzetti met with Roberto in Barcelona to inform him of the latest developments. In the evening, both decided to travel together with Roberto's legal adviser to Milan, using the private jet of AC Milan president Silvio Berlusconi.

In the already famous Giannino reastaurant (after another dinner last week, read more here and here), they met with Milan vice president Adriano Galliani, who said when entering the restaurant that it was 180% sure that Ronaldinho and Shevchenko would join Milan next season. Roberto said: "We only want Milan, that's why we're here." Milan president Berlusconi, who runs to be the next Italian prime minister, would like to conclude and announce the transfer of Ronaldinho before the end of the week.

Barcelona officials admitted to Spanish news agency Europa Press that there has been a meeting with Milan and described it as "a first contact". The talks will continue in the coming days. Italian sports paper La Gazzetta dello Sport claims that Inter Milan has not said their last word and that Inter president Moratti won't surrender without a fight. Ronaldinho has a contract with Barcelona until 2010 which includes a buyout clause of 125 million euro°°.

Read more here:
Milan derby for Ronaldinho
Ronaldinho can negotiate with other teams
Negotiations on Ronaldinho exit
Manchester City serious about Ronaldinho
Everybody wants Ronaldinho