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| Sunday, August 18, 2002 16:27 EST |
Internazionale president: 'Ronaldo will stay'
[Associated Press]
MILAN, Italy -- World Cup star Ronaldo won't move from
Internazionale of Milan to Spain's Real Madrid after talks fell
apart, the Italian club's president said Sunday.
"Ronaldo will stay with Inter," Massimo Moratti told the
Italian news agency ANSA.
The Brazilian striker's agent, Alexandre Martins, told La
Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper in an interview published Sunday
that "the transfer could be completed in a few days. Inter and
Real Madrid already met."
Moratti acknowledged there were negotiations, but added: "The
approach was not satisfactory from an economic point of view. Thus
it is better that Ronaldo appreciates what he already has."
Any trade would have to be completed by Aug. 31, the deadline
for moves in the Italian League.
Ronaldo and Martins are in Rio de Janeiro for the Brazilian
national team's exhibition game against Paraguay on Wednesday.
Ronaldo, whose contract with Internazionale pays him about $6
million a season and runs through 2006, is thought to want to leave
the club because of his up-and-down career in Italy and his poor
relations with coach Hector Cuper.
Ronaldo has been with Inter since 1997, but he was sidelined for
about two years with a torn knee ligament.
He was a two-time FIFA player of the year before the injury and
revived his career in 2002, leading Brazil to the World Cup title
by scoring a tournament-high eight goals.
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