Agent pours cold water on City's hopes of landing Ronaldinho - Sport - Evening Standard
       

Agent pours cold water on City's hopes of landing Ronaldinho

Roberto Assis, the brother and agent of Barcelona star Ronaldinho, has played down reports the 28-year-old will make a summer exit from the Nou Camp.

The Brazil international has been linked with a move to either AC Milan, Inter Milan, Chelsea or Manchester City.

De Assis was seen having dinner with Milan technical director Adriano Galliani and was also a guest of City at their game against Chelsea at Eastlands.

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Unsettled: Ronaldinho has been linked with a move away from Spain for some time

However, he claims the meetings were personal matters and did not concern his brother.

"My work is to form relationships within the world of football," he told Spanish football magazine Don Balon.

"It is normal for me to travel to speak with certain people about personal matters when I believe it to be necessary."

He added: "He (Ronaldinho) has a contract until 2010 and I'm not looking for anything."

Ronaldinho has been reported to be leaving the club for some time, following a turbulent season in which he started only 13 of a possible 31 games.

A thigh injury has kept Ronaldinho out for much of that time.

Former Barca player Rivaldo added to the conspiracy theories last month when he suggested that the club was turning Ronaldinho's injury into an excuse to sell the player.

While De Assis refused to respond to these comments directly, he did admit that he felt the news of his brother's injury could have been better managed.

He said: "I think that things could have been handled differently when it comes to such an important player that given so much to the club."

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