Dubai: Al Ahli captain Fabio Cannavaro did little to dampen speculation that Ronaldinho is leaving AC Milan when he said in a pre-match conference between the two clubs yesterday: "I would advise Ronaldinho to come to Dubai."
AC Milan, currently on winter camp in the emirate will take on Al Ahli in The Emirates Airline Challenge Cup match at Al Ahli Stadium on January 2 from 8pm. But the game is secondary to talk of Ronaldinho's much-speculated winter departure from the San Siro.
The Brazilian striker, who has found himself on the fringes of Massimilian Allegri's squad since the arrival of Antonio Cassano is heavily linked with a move back to Gremio in the January transfer window, despite much denial from the Silvio Berlusconi backed outfit. But Cannavaro, himself a former Serie A performer who fled for the warmer climate of Dubai hasn't helped quell the rumour mill, especially given ‘Little Ronny' was only linked to a big-money-UAE-move as far back as September.
Cannavaro told the press: "I'm very happy in Dubai, it's a fantastic experience not just for the weather, there are many chances for up and coming players here and I would advise players like Ronaldinho to come to Dubai."
Allegri, sitting just a few seats away from Cannavaro, was reluctant to comment on the furore that surrounds the ‘Little Fella's future. "All the ones that are here now will remain," the coach said.
And when pushed he added rather open-endedly: "As long as Ronaldinho is going to play for Milan, he will be a Milan player — he's in a very good state of mind and working just as hard as everybody else."
Room for exit
Gulf News reported in September that Ronaldinho's close friend Cristino Cubero told Spanish radio show Punto y Pelota that: "Milan took Robinho in what was an excellent move, but I won't rule out a Ronaldinho exit because of this — Ronaldinho is attracted by the UAE."
The story shook the Emirates at the time with a host of clubs namely Al Ain, Al Wahda, and Al Ahli having to deny any approach for the striker who has seen a huge drop in form since being dropped from Brazil's World Cup squad for South Africa 2010.
Allegri added that he thought the experience of facing Al Ahli would be "a very important test for the second half of the Italian season," while he added of the team's third winter training camp in Dubai since 2007, "the temperature here is favourable for training because it's freezing in Milan at the moment."
Al Ahli coach David O'Leary said: "This is not a question of whether we can beat AC Milan, let's be frank about that — I'm just proud that players that would never have had the experience to play against some unbelievable players will have the opportunity on the night."
