Ronaldinho to the Galaxy

Chardee MacDennis

Could this be true?

http://www.mls-daily.com/2010/07/source-ronaldinho-to-sign-with-galaxy.html wrote:

While not even 24 hours have passed since the New York Red Bulls formally introduced French star Thierry Henry as their newest player, there is word this morning that another world superstar is on the verge of joining Major League Soccer in a matter of weeks, if not days. It's a rumor that has been making the rounds for some time, but multiple sources are now corroborating reports that Ronaldinho will soon become a member of the Los Angeles Galaxy.

A source with knowledge of the situation contacted me about a week ago and informed me that the Galaxy were close to signing the AC Milan playmaker. Since then, I have been attempting to get further confirmation of the deal, but Real Salt Lake owner Dave Checketts has apparently beaten me to the punch. During an interview with local radio station KALL 700 Sports last night, Checketts was interviewed on a variety of subjects, including the impact of the Red Bulls signing Henry, which led to him dropping the following bomb:

"I expect, by the way, Major League Soccer to make another announcement in the next couple of days about another very big world superstar coming to our league - not to our team, I don't want to mislead anybody. But another one of our teams is going to make a major investment and that will be a big announcement in the next couple of days.

"I would imagine that this guy's coming to L.A. and you'll all recognize who he is," revealed Checketts. When asked by the show's hosts if the mystery player may be a certain Brazilian, Checketts responded coyly, "I think he might.

"We don't [host] the Galaxy here again this year unless we move up and win the best record and then have [home field advantage in] the playoffs all the way through - maybe we could see the Galaxy that way. I'd sure love to see them again because they're going to take a big step and get much better."

While Checketts seems certain that the signing is a done deal, reports from around the globe have Ronaldinho either seeing out the last year of his contract with Milan, returning home to play in Brazil or even moving to Greece. I will continue trying to get confirmation from the Galaxy that this deal is indeed done and will have more on this story as it develops.

i thought they could only have one big contract player at each team?

Xavi6

It was doing the rounds on Twitter.

Not sure about only being allowed one. Don't the Red Bulls have two with Henry and Angel?

FatherTed

bp, the rules changed this year. Now it's 3 DPs. If you have a third DP then other "smaller" teams get allocation money. In other words, it's like getting fined to have a third DP and you pay the other teams. Also rumours that Rafa Marquez will be joining NY shortly. Although I heard Ronaldinho was not going to LA.

AgileMyth

Surely Donovan, Beckham and Xavier were all on decent contracts at the same time with Galaxy? Ronaldinho is still well capable of holding his own with any team in the world though so hard to see him going to the MLS just yet

Le King

Yeah I heard that Ronaldinho could be going to the Galaxy on ESPN. He could still offer a lot to CL club.

eagle eye

Xavi6 wrote: »

It was doing the rounds on Twitter.

Not sure about only being allowed one. Don't the Red Bulls have two with Henry and Angel?

They have more than two. They have a Juninho there now, I thought it was the former Middlesborough one but its not, and a Leonardo and some other Brazilian and an African keeper. Just watched them last week, Donovan's first game back and he had a great game. That league has really come on a fair bit by the way. Its a lot faster now than it used to be.
Fyi Angel plays for New York.

Xavi6

eagle eye wrote: »

They have more than two. They have a Juninho there now, I thought it was the former Middlesborough one but its not, and a Leonardo and some other Brazilian and an African keeper. Just watched them last week, Donovan's first game back and he had a great game. That league has really come on a fair bit by the way. Its a lot faster now than it used to be.
Fyi Angel plays for New York.

I know he does, which is why I said -

Xavi6 wrote: »

Don't the Red Bulls have two with Henry and Angel?

They are one and the same

eagle eye

Xavi6 wrote: »

I know he does, which is why I said -



They are one and the same

Oops sorry about that:o.

Yep I know they are the Red Bulls.

wandatowell

Very sad to see a formerly world class player even considering a move like this at his age.

Leiva

wandatowell wrote: »

Very sad to see a formerly world class player even considering a move like this at his age.

True , but for me it's been all about the money when it comes to Ronaldinho in the past few seasons , hence the on field performances.

PHB

Last season he had 12 goals and 14 assists in the league, I'd still take him at United.

Leiva

PHB wrote: »

Last season he had 12 goals and 14 assists in the league, I'd still take him at United.

12 goals and 14 assists for the wage he demands :rolleyes:

godtabh

Over in LA I doubt there will be same pressure playing for Milan. The lad can go in to semi retirement and get paid a bucket load of money

He doesnt give a toss. He just wants an easy life

LuckyLloyd

mixednuts wrote: »

12 goals and 14 assists for the wage he demands :rolleyes:

Go find that production for cheap. I dare say you will struggle.

ShooterSF

PHB wrote: »

Last season he had 12 goals and 14 assists in the league, I'd still take him at United.

No thanks. He does absolutely no defensive work and Im sure he probably cost Milan a few goals last year.

Seaneh

If him leaving means Dzeko or Ibrahimovic are signed, bye bye Ronnie.

That said, he had a fantastic season last year.

This story is a load of balls btw. If he leaves Milan it will either be to England or Flamengo.

Seaneh

ShooterSF wrote: »

No thanks. He does absolutely no defensive work and Im sure he probably cost Milan a few goals last year.

Don't watch many Milan games do ya?

Was probably Milan's most consistent player last year.

godtabh

Seaneh wrote: »

Ibrahimovic

No chance of him going to Milan. They cant afford him

Seaneh

godtabh wrote: »

No chance of him going to Milan. They cant afford him

If Ronaldinho leaves, they could. They are on similar wages.

Dzeko would be about half as much, probably €80/90k.

The problem with Milan isn't transfer fees, berlu has said he is willing to spend money, it's wages, he won't allow the current wage structure to rise.

Melion

Id love Ronnie at Liverpool

mrDerek

people make comments about his defensive weaknesses but has anyone ever really thought of ronaldinho as a tough tacklen left mindfielder...

wandatowell

Melion wrote: »

Id love Ronnie at Liverpool

Yossi's boots will be hard to fill, I dont think even Ronaldinho could manage it

ShoulderChip

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

Go find that production for cheap. I dare say you will struggle.

Can I look in the dutch league?:D

Raskolnikov

Ronaldinho's contract expires in 2011 and he'll be 31 next year. If Milan can get £10 million or so for him, they should do it now.

Seaneh wrote: »

Don't watch many Milan games do ya?

Was probably Milan's most consistent player last year.

You're a Milan supporter, and you're always going to support your man; but you couldn't be anymore wrong.

Firstly, when you look at Dinho's goal tally for Serie A last season, 4-5 of his goals came from penalties.

Secondly, 7 of his 12 goals came in three games (one of which was a penalty). That means that in the other 31 games he played, he only got 1 or 2 from open play.

Thirdly, you seem to have eliminated the plenty of times that he barely moved his fat arse as Milan were humiliated. The 4-0 defeat to Man. United, the double defeat to Palermo and the 4-0 trashing from Inter where he was booed off the pitch by his own fans. There were plenty of other times Ronaldinho was one of the worst players on the pitch.

People seem to remember the few flashes where he does admittedly play brilliantly, but forget the vast majority of times where when he plays, Milan might as well only have 10 men on the pitch.

Thiago Silva, Ambrosini and Borriello are at least three players who had a much more consistent seasons than Ronaldinho, by the way.

Seaneh

Raskolnikov wrote: »

Ronaldinho's contract expires in 2011 and he'll be 31 next year. If Milan can get £10 million or so for him, they should do it now.You're a Milan supporter, and you're always going to support your man; but you couldn't be anymore wrong.

Firstly, when you look at Dinho's goal tally for Serie A last season, 4-5 of his goals came from penalties.

Secondly, 7 of his 12 goals came in three games (one of which was a penalty). That means that in the other 31 games he played, he only got 1 or 2 from open play.

Thirdly, you seem to have eliminated the plenty of times that he barely moved his fat arse as Milan were humiliated. The 4-0 defeat to Man. United, the double defeat to Palermo and the 4-0 trashing from Inter where he was booed off the pitch by his own fans. There were plenty of other times Ronaldinho was one of the worst players on the pitch.

People seem to remember the few flashes where he does admittedly play brilliantly, but forget the vast majority of times where when he plays, Milan might as well only have 10 men on the pitch.

Thiago Silva, Ambrosini and Borriello are at least three players who had a much more consistent seasons than Ronaldinho, by the way.

I watched, probably 24/25 Milan League games last year and Every European Game. I missed the first 7 games of the season because I didn't have a choice and a few other games because I just didn't have the time or wasn't in the country. Of those games I did watch, When Ronaldinho played well, Milan played well. Pirlo had a very, very timid season by his standards, 1 assist and 1 goal all season, he didn't play badly, but at the same time he didn't set the world on fire.

Ronnie had 15 assists in 36 games, that's impressive by ANYONE's standards. He dragged the team kicking and screaming through several games. He had games where he was un stoppable. Juve in May, Sienna in January, First leg against man utd he was motm according to most media sources and If I could be arsed I could think of a hat full more.

He had maybe 4 bad games all season and a few more where he was Average. You pain a picture of him playing well a hand full of times and being a liability for the majority of the season which is a load of fu*king balls and you know it.

Thaigo Silva was a rock at centreback most of the time but he also shockers.
Ambro was pretty good but he also had a few insanely stupid sendings off and gave away some really bad free kicks. Borriello is a cart horse and while he had some good games he also had a lot of stinkers. he also missed 12 games this season.

Ronaldinho played every game bar 2 in the league this year and for the vast majority was socred in the 7-10 range by all the Italian daily papers. He played more games than anyone else and was Milan's player of the year by a long way.

The games you highlighted, the 4-0 to inter in august, palermo in the cup and then the league, second league againt man utd. They were games where the entire team was ****e from 1-11 and to say "omg he was sooo abd, he cost them the game!?!213212!!" is a bit stupid. What about the game against fiorentina the week after the league loss to Palermo, where Ronaldinho was the ONLY attacking threat Milan had?

I could easily only have mentioned 4 games where he was mom and scored a few goals and made it look like he was the best player in the world all season, but that'd be just as bad as you're picking 3/4 games where he, and the rest of the team, were ****e and saying he wasn't all that good at all this year.

and BTW, I love Ambro, I think he's a beast, but he was no way more consistant than Ronaldinho, he played with niggling injuries for half the season and it was obvious. When he was fit he was great and made a difference, but when he was struggling and the options on the bench were thin he looked very poor. If it wasn't for the fact that the only player on the bench to come on for him was Stresser, he'd have been subbed a number of times when Rino and Flamini were out.

3hn2givr7mx1sc

Seaneh, have you ever said a bad word or criticised Milan in any way at all?

Wolfe Tone

Ronaldinho is too good to be packing it in now. Any half decent team would love him, even a few top ones.

Seaneh

baz2009 wrote: »

Seaneh, have you ever said a bad word or criticised Milan in any way at all?

Yes.

In the post I just posted I said they played **** in several games this season.

I have said that our top scorer this year was a cart horse.

I said out most important player had an average season.


I have said a million times we need new fullbacks, a new keeper and a striker.

I have said on here I expect us to fight for 3rd place next season at best.


So yes, yes I have.

keane2097

Raskolnikov wrote: »

Firstly, when you look at Dinho's goal tally for Serie A last season, 4-5 of his goals came from penalties.

Secondly, 7 of his 12 goals came in three games (one of which was a penalty). That means that in the other 31 games he played, he only got 1 or 2 from open play.

Thirdly, you seem to have eliminated the plenty of times that he barely moved his fat arse as Milan were humiliated. The 4-0 defeat to Man. United, the double defeat to Palermo and the 4-0 trashing from Inter where he was booed off the pitch by his own fans. There were plenty of other times Ronaldinho was one of the worst players on the pitch.

People seem to remember the few flashes where he does admittedly play brilliantly, but forget the vast majority of times where when he plays, Milan might as well only have 10 men on the pitch.

Thiago Silva, Ambrosini and Borriello are at least three players who had a much more consistent seasons than Ronaldinho, by the way.

This is great.

You're basically just saying:

"Sure if you dismiss all the games he was class and focus on the games he was bad in you'll see what a terrible player he is".

Ush1

keane2097 wrote: »

This is great.

You're basically just saying:

"Sure if you dismiss all the games he was class and focus on the games he was bad in you'll see what a terrible player he is".

No he's not.

He even said he had flashes where he admittedly did play brilliantly.

I watched him alot this season and he's clearly a far cry from what he was. The Milan derby when they could have went top of the league against 9 man Inter was one of the most inept displays I've watched.

He was the opposite of inspiring. He may still have things to offer but he's not motivated to test himself anymore IMO.

Gillington

Ronnie heading nowhere according to Berlusconi

Raskolnikov

I'm not doubting he had a few exceptional games, there were a few games where he was as good as when he won the Ballon d'or back in 2004/2005. That's the bar he's set and at his very best he's up there with just about any player in the world, bar Messi. Considering that he's still getting Galactico wages, I would be expecting more motivation, more commitment and more consistency.

The best thing Milan could do is flog him for €10 million and use the €10 million that they'll save in his wages and invest it in rebuilding the team so they can challenge for titles in 2-3 years time.

robbeardsley

Can't see Berlusconi selling Ronaldinho, unless he forces the move. This might be a possibility since Milans wage bill needs to be reduced. Theyve offered him a contract with lower wages, and if he is actually looking for a payout in his next contract then ya he will go

Personally I want him to stay, and if Dzeko/Fabiano/Ibra signs then along with Pato they'll have one of the best striking departments in Europe, provided Inzaghi and Hunter go