AC Milan cool on Ronaldinho
Silvio Berlusconi claims the Brazil forward is not needed.
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| Is Mathieu Flamini waving goodbye to Arsenal? [AFP] |
Ronaldinho is not needed at AC Milan according to club owner Silvio Berlusconi, but Arsenal midfielder Mathieu Flamini should sign a four-year-deal with the club on Monday.
Milan had agreed personal terms with Ronaldinho’s agent but have said Barcelona’s price of $62 million for the Brazil forward is too much.
Their pursuit of Ronaldinho intensified during Berlusconi’s recent election campaign, where he won a third term as Italian prime minister, but now Milan’s interest has cooled.
“I have always been doubtful over whether Ronaldinho is needed, at this point I really think we don’t need him,” Berlusconi said.
Frenchman Flamini, soon out of contract at Arsenal and also courted by Juventus, is arriving in Milan later on Sunday.
“If he passes the medical, tomorrow he will be a Milan player. Players want to come to Milan, of this there is no doubt,” Milan chief executive Adriano Galliani told reporters, adding later that Flamini would sign a four-year contract.
Lehmann exit confirmed
Meanwhile in London, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger confirmed that goalkeeper Jens Lehmann will be leaving the club at the end of the season.
The 38-year-old Germany international was given a rousing send-off by Arsenal fans after coming on for the final 20 minutes of their 1-0 Premier League defeat of Everton at the Emirates Stadium.
Wenger said Lehmann, who lost his place to Spaniard Manuel Almunia early in the season, was worthy of his ovation.
“He deserves that,” Wenger said.
“We have a big respect for him because he has been a 100 percent professional
for the five years he was here.
“Overall he deserves that because he has contributed a lot to the success of the club and we will miss him because he’s a very important player not only on the pitch but off the pitch.”
Lehmann joined in 2003 from Borussia Dortmund as a replacement for David Seaman, winning the title in his first season when he played every game of Arsenal’s unbeaten league campaign.
He also won the FA Cup the following season.
Lehmann will be in the Germany squad for Euro 2008 but said he was undecided about what he would do after that.
“I don’t know yet. I will play in the European Championships. I would love to play on, but that is my feeling now. Ask me in June after Euro 2008 – I might have changed my mind. I will see,” he said.