Milan To Promote Youth Team Players Rather Than Spend On Major Transfers - Reports

Milan's policies to curb spending have left coach Massimiliano Allegri facing the sharp end of cuts and, according to Tuttosport, he will promote from within rather than spend on new recruits.

Rodney Strasser, Alexander Merkel, Simone Verdi and Giacomo Beretta are expected to make the step up and join the first team.

Midfielders Strasser and Merkel have impressed during pre-season, the former has already made his Serie A debut and at 20-year-old offers Allegri promise.

Verdi and Beretta may find their space despite the difficulty of breaking into an attacking line-up which includes Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, Ronaldinho, Alexandre Pato, Filippo Inzaghi and Marco Borriello.

La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that Verdi is likely to be used as back-up for Ronaldinho, who is currently recovering from injury. He has impressed Allegri this summer and is likely to get more of a chance to show his class in the league.

from goal.com

Ronaldinho happy

Ronaldinho scored 70 goals in 145 appearances for Barcelona, helping them win the Spanish championship in 2005 and 2006 as well as the 2006 Champions League.

But after a dip in form last season, attributed by some to his penchant for late-night partying, he was deemed surplus to requirements by the Spanish giants and AC Milan signed him last week for an estimated 30 million dollars.

Olympic coach Dunga, who is also coach of the national team, said the two-time World Player of the Year finally seemed happy.

"Ronaldinho is a very important member of our squad and he is recovering from his problems," he said here, where Brazil are training ahead of the Beijing Olympics.

"The most important thing is that he is happy and is smiling again.

That's made things easier for us.

The 28-year-old is one Dunga's over-age players for the Olympics.

Barcelona had initially refused to release him but AC Milan gave the go-ahead and the Games will provide a global platform for him to once again shine.

At international level he has yet to recover from his anti-climactic performance at the World Cup in Germany in 2006, and since then he has seen new Milan teammate Kaka usurp his position as Brazil's star man.

But 26-year-old Kaka, linked with a move to Chelsea this week, will not be in Beijing after the Italian club refused to release him.

Brazil captured the Olympic silver medal in the 1984 and 1988 Olympics, and the bronze medal in the 1996 Games, but has yet to strike gold.

Ronaldinho picks shirt number “80? at AC Milan

AC Milan’s new signing and superstar Ronaldinho will wear shirt number 80 at AC Milan, the club said on Monday.

The Brazilian football star, twice the world player of the year, chose this number beacause it corresponds with his birth year 1980.

In Barcelona he wore shirt number 10, but that shirt is currently held by Dutch midfielder Clarence Seedorf. According to Milan’s vice-president Adriano Galliani, it was never discussed that Seedorf would have to give up his shirt to Ronaldinho.

“We’ve never asked a player to give up his number and we won’t do it this time,” said Galliani. “That would show a lack of respect.”

Adidas has revelaed that they have already received 11,000 pre-orders for replica Ronaldinho shirts.

[Source: Aftonbladet, FIFA]

RONALDINHO: A.C.MILAN OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

AC Milan and FC Barcelona have reached an agreement for the transfer of Ronaldinho to the Rossoneri's club. Tomorrow the player will be in Milan for the medical and to sign the contract which will tie him to Milan until June 30th 2011.



acmilan.com

Ronaldinho to sign for AC Milan!!!!!

Manchester City have lost out to Italian side AC Milan in the race to sign Barcelona playmaker Ronaldinho.

"AC Milan and Barcelona have reached an agreement in principle over the transfer of Ronaldinho," the Serie A club said on their website.

"The player will be in Milan on Wednesday to undergo a medical and sign a contract that will keep him at Milan until 30 June 2011."

City had reportedly bid £25.5m for the 28-year-old Brazilian.

But Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport reported on its website that Milan will pay Spanish side Barcelona just £14.6m for his services, with the figure likely to be increased by performance-related bonuses.

Milan chief executive Adriano Galliani has been in Barcelona for talks with the club and the player for two days.

The two-time Fifa World Player of the Year's time at Barcelona effectively came to an end in June when new manager Pep Guardiola announced the playmaker was surplus to requirements.

Nevertheless, the Catalans were not prepared to release Ronaldinho to join Dunga's Brazil squad for next month's Beijing Olympics.

Ronaldinho helped Barcelona win back-to-back Spanish league titles (2004-05, 2005-06) and the Champions League in 2006, but failed to cement a regular place in the starting XI last season because of injury and fitness issues.

Here's news about Ronaldinho transfer issues

Barca wait on Ronaldinho decision

Ronaldinho is expected to decide his future in the next 72 hours after discussions with Barcelona.
Manchester City appear favourites to sign him from the Nou Camp outfit after reportedly tabling a £25.5m bid, while AC Milan are also in the hunt.
Barcelona said: "The two sides agreed to allow two or three days to finalise the player's move to one of the clubs interested in landing the Brazilian." If no deal is tied up in that time he will resume training with Barca.
Earlier, the Spanish club's president Joan Laporta told Catalunya Radio: "Ronaldinho and his agent have two interesting proposals and they are leaning more towards the one from City." However, BBC Sport understands that AC Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani is in Barcelona to attempt to convince Ronaldinho to choose the San Siro over the City of Manchester stadium.
The two-time Fifa World Player of the Year was not present on Monday morning to start pre-season fitness tests under new Barca coach Pep Guardiola, leading to speculation that talks about his future were set to take place with Milan.
His time at the Spanish giants effectively came to an end in June when Guardiola announced the playmaker was surplus to requirements.
Nevertheless, the Catalans were not prepared to release Ronaldinho to join Dunga's Brazil squad for next month's Beijing Olympics.
Ronaldinho helped the Nou Camp club win back-to-back Spanish league titles (2004-05, 2005-06) and the Champions League in 2006, but failed to cement a regular place in the starting XI last season because of injury and fitness issues.


Manchester City have launched a £25.5 million bid to hijack AC Milan's move for Ronaldinho

Barcelona president Joan Laporta last night confirmed the Eastlands outfit were now locked in a head to head battle with the Italian giants for the Brazil playmaker.
And City hopes of landing the Brazilian are growing after promising a deal that dwarfs the cash being dangled by the Serie A outfit.
The Premier League club's bid is far in excess of the £12 million on offer from Milan.
And City's promise of a £200,000 per week salary is twice the amount Ronaldinho could earn at the San Siro. Ronaldinho was expected back in Spain yesterday to thrash out his future after Barca coach Pep Guardiola confirmed the player was surplus to requirements.
So far the South American has made no secret of the fact he would prefer a switch to Italy and Barca will be hoping City's move will trigger a bigger offer from Milan.
A City spokesperson yesterday said: "A bid has been made and the paperwork has been received. But at this stage there is still no more than a 50-50 chance of the transfer

Ronaldinho get closer to MILAN

AC Milan are on the brink of completing their purchase of Barcelona's Brazilian playmaker Ronaldinho, the Italian press reported on Saturday.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport an agreement has been reached between AC Milan's vice-president Adriano Galliano and Barcelona president Joan Laporta for a fee of 15 million euros, with Ronaldinho set to sign a two-year contract to 2010 worth 6.5 million euros per year.

It will be a major coup for the 2007 European Champions who are still licking their wounds after failing to reach the 2008-09 Champions League and needed a big signing to signal their intent for next season.

The club will also be delighted with the price that they have negotiated for a player they have been tracking for over a year, with the final total 20 million euros lower than Barcelona's initial request of 35 million euros.

Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti is expected to pair him in an all-Brazilian attacking trident, along with Kaka and their young sensation, Alexander Pato.

The former AC Milan and Roma midfielder will have high hopes for a player who hit 70 goals in 149 matches at the Nou Camp and helped Barcelona to the 2006 Champions League title.

There was no mention made as to whether Ronaldinho will be able to take his place as part of Brazil's squad for the Beijing Olympic Games.

He was initially named in the 18-man squad before new Barcelona coach Josep Guardiola refused to release him.

DOMINO EFFECT (Galliani transfer isuues declaration)

"Adebayor? It depends on Arsenal. If Arsenal don't let him go, Adebayor still has two years on his contract, but if they ask huge amounts for him it's over. Otherwise it's not over, but nothing's for sure yet. Morabito is right when he says that Milan are after Adebayor and no one else at the moment, it's true, but that doesn't mean it stays like that until september 1st, the last day of the transfer window. But it remains to be seen what happens in this ballet of strikers, Eto'o, Ronaldinho, Adebayor, Drogba, how they will move because sometimes there's a domino effect and sometimes there isn't.

I think the fans should be grateful not to the fan Galliani, but to President Berlusconi who, through his Fininvest company, continues to pour money into this club. He's been doing that for 22 years and he transformed a club who was on trial and relegated twice to Serie B in the 80s, into the most title-winning club in the world."

acmilan.com

Ronaldinho dreaming of Milan

MANCHESTER City’s hopes of signing Ronaldinho have taken a blow with his agent claiming the Brazilian star wants to join AC Milan. Blues owner Thaksin Shinawatra has made the Barcelona playmaker his number one priority and has been tracking him all summer. City are prepared to make him the highest paid player in the world, offering as much as £180,000 a week to lure him to Eastlands. Milan have baulked at such figures, but it seems Ronaldinho’s heart is still set on a move to Serie A. His agent Roberto De Assis said: "We are working to take the best player in the world to the greatest club in the world. "We have always had an excellent rapport with Milan and are in constant contact. "The chances of Ronaldinho playing with a Rossoneri jersey this coming season remain the same as they were a few months ago." Ronaldinho looks certain to leave Barcelona this summer with new manager Josep Guardiola telling him he is surplus to requirements. City appear to be the only club willing to meet his financial demands, with Milan turning their attention to Arsenal’s Emanuel Adebayor. It remains to be seen if the 28-year-old is prepared to lower his financial expectations to secure his dream move or opt for a more lucrative move to City.

Inter's Julio Cesar urges Ronaldinho: Choose right-side of Milan

Inter Milan goalkeeper Julio Cesar has urged management to move for Barcelona superstar Ronaldinho.

The Brazil international goalkeeper said: "All those who've said he's finished, do not understand anything about football because he can always make a difference and will do so again.

"Right now, my club is courting similar players, but Dinho must forget AC Milan and choose the right side of Milan ..."