With Milan finally having come out of their "here's ten million euro, he only wants us and the transfer market ends on the 31st of August" position and now going all in, two English Premier League clubs are said to be still trying to convince Barcelona playmaker and Brazilian international Ronaldinho (28) to reject the Italian offer.
British tabloid The Daily Mail claims that Manchester City officials flew into Barcelona last night. President 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.
Manchester City executive chairman Garry Cook said last night in an interview with British newspaper The Guardian that his club had made significant advances in their attempt to sign Ronaldinho from Barcelona: "You sometimes wish all the clutter would move out of the way. But I continue to be encouraged because we are ticking all the boxes. That has been the case all the way through and we are ticking those boxes really quickly now.
I can confirm that we have made a bid. It has been a complicated process, not least because the Barcelona organisation has just gone through a fundamental change because of their elections, meaning that a new general manager is in place and we are talking to different people than before. But in the simplest terms, we have made an offer, it has been received and Barcelona are reviewing it.
We are determined to do everything we can to make this happen. The player has a commitment to play in the Olympics, which is another complication, but we, like any good club, would allow him to honour his responsibility to his country.
As for his intentions, they are somewhat muddled because of the interest from elsewhere, but what I can say is that he has shown a genuine interest in playing for Manchester City. He is not playing games with us. He just wants to play football. And the really important thing is, does he want to play in the Premier League? If you were to ask him that, his answer would emphatically be yes."
British tabloid The Sun meanwhile claims that also Chelsea has joined the race with a last minute attempt by new Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari. The Brazilian coach spoke by phone with Ronaldinho yesterday. Chelsea would offer Barcelona 20 million euro°.
Read more:
Ronaldinho on his way to Manchester City
Tuesday 15 July 2008
Manchester City and Chelsea not giving up
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7 comments:
20 million euro =
30 million us dollar
15 million british pound
"The player has a commitment to play in the Olympics, which is another complication, but we, like any good club, would allow him to honour his responsibility to his country."
Is that to be perceived as a subtle jab at Barcelona management?
Well just when things couldn't get any better, Chelsea now seem to have entered into the fray for Ronnie's services (if the reports are to be considered true) and this can only further put a smile on Laporta's face as the adage of "the more the merrier" would seem apropo at this point. After months of rumors, speculation and inuendo, it seems like we are finally getting to the meat and potatoes on this matter. Let the bidding war games begin!
Chelsea is so screwed. evidently their purchasing strategy is "let's buy a bunch of undermotivated, off-their-game players who used to have some flair, and wed them with our own overpaid, bitchy players who have no flair; A WINNING COMBINATION FOR SURE". i guess when you're worth 1.3billion euros you can afford to be an idiot, but still.
Abramovich is welcome to Ronnie, provided he pays us more than City. a bidding war between 2 hugely ambitious, hugely rich, totally inexperienced owners? sounds great to me!
www.foxsoccer.com is reporting that AC Milan and Barcelona have reached an agreement for 18.5 million euros for Ronaldinho, and that he will presented in Milan as early as Wednesday. I certainly hope not, b/c we could have gotten more for him, but we'll see if it's true. That's not a terrible price just on the sporting side, but even out of form, he's worth more than that just for the merchandising revenue that he'll bring to his new club.
Laporta: ok everyone here he is .. ronaldinho R10... mr gaucho.... brazil's favorite samba boy ( err.. well he used to be ) Lets start the bidding at 10 million... come on he is a two time player of the year who will give me 10 million... I see you galliani baby.. I see you. come on ancelotti you know you guys . want to..
Maldini: boss I know he used to be great but he looks a little fat no?
Ancelotti: SILENCE!!!!
Galliani: 10 million euros
Laporta: $10 million.. yes.. we have ten million from the italian gentleman to my left.. who will give me 15?
Anybody?!
....please?
Ok how about 9... will anyone give me 9
Guradiola: como?
Thakshin: $ 22 million baby.. beat that paisano
Galliani: $22? for gordinho... you must be joking
Laporta... I will give you $9
Laporta: $ Bingo 9 million to the generous italian.. booo yah!!
Thakshin: but 22 is more than 9.. why is it to him??
Laporta: stop asking me stupid questions!!!
Guardiola: Como?
Abramovic: Am I too late ? $25.. $ 25 million...
Thakshin : no no 27 27 we bid 27
Abramovic: $35... eat your heart out shinatwat
Thakshin : 35.25... what!?! what?!?!
Laporta :you know you and shinatwat are really starting to piss me off with this bidding war..
I am selling to Milan for 10 !!!
Guardiola Ambramovic Thakshin, Galliani: Como?
Now ESPN is reporting it as well. I don't want to jump to conclusions, b/c I don't know if Chelsea really jumped into the hunt/if Ronnie was even willing to play for Manchester City, etc., but 18.5 million euro for him just doesn't seem like a very good deal in my opinion. Who knows, though, I'm at least glad he's out of the locker room if the report is true. It's time to move on, and Ronnie's heart just didn't seem to be in it in Barcelona anymore. I wish him the best, though, he gave a lot to Barca in his prime.
Marc -
That was THE most retarded post I have ever seen on this blog, please try and make sure it never happens again.
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