Dubai: Al Shabab Al Arabi have declined an approach to sign two-time Fifa World Player of the Year Ronaldinho because he is “overpriced and uncontrollable”, according to a club official.
The 33-year-old Atletico Mineiro attacking midfielder, who won the 2002 World Cup with Brazil, was offered to the Dubai-based club last week by his agent for €6 million (Dh28.72 million) a season.
However, Al Shabab vice-president Khalid Bu Humaid, who had earlier described the deal as 50 per cent certain, has now told Gulf News the deal is off.
“We wrote back to Ronaldinho’s agent last week and declined his offer,” said Buhumaid. “He’s just over priced and the second thing is his attitude off the field. If they could not control him at Barcelona he can’t be controlled in Dubai.
“He’s overpriced and the second thing [against signing him] is his age and the third thing is his attitude,” he added.
Ex-Barcelona and AC Milan star Ronaldinho’s prospective UAE move is the latest in a string of failed big summer transfers.
Former Manchester City striker Roque Santa Cruz and Newcastle United forward Shola Ameobi were linked to Al Nasr, while Al Wasl were named in connection with Inter Milan midfielder Dejan Stankovic.
Having sold Brazilian midfielder Luiz Henrique to Emirates Club, Al Shabab had a vacancy in their foreign player allocation. Some reports in the Brazilian press suggested Curitiba midfielder Rafinha Da Silva Francisco would fill that void, but it is now understood that media in South America mistook Al Shabab in Dubai for the club’s namesake in Saudi Arabia.
However, Bu Humaid confirmed the return of Chilean midfielder Carlos Villanueva from a cruciate ligament injury had ended the club’s search for a fourth foreigner after the services of Uzbek midfielder Azizbek Haydarov and Brazilian forward’s Edgar Bruno and Jociel Ferreira Da Silva were retained.
Elsewhere, Al Jazira have made up for their failure to sign Moroccan midfielder Younus Belhanda, 23, from Montpellier by snapping up another Moroccan midfielder Abdul Aziz Barrada, 24, from Getafe.
And Bani Yas’ approach for Blackburn Rover’s Argentinian midfielder Mauro Formica ended in a failed medical, leaving them still in search of a fourth foreigner.
Meanwhile, Dubai Club have announced Martin Rueda as their replacement to outgoing coach Rene Marsiglia. The 50-year-old Swiss, who represented his national team at the 1994 World Cup, joins from BSC Young Boys.
