Rumors out of Brazil suggest that Ronaldinho is seriously considering leaving AC Milan for Gremio, Palmeiras or Sao Paulo. Dinho has recently fallen out of favor at the Rossoneri under coach Massimiliano Allegri and has struggled to obtain quality playing time given the stunning form of recent signings Robinho and Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Ronaldinho's brother and agent Roberto de Assis remarked that Dinho still had the desire to capture trophies that he had yet to secure such as the Brasileirao and the Copa Libertadores by returning to a quality club in Brazil. Gremio President Paulo Odone noted that he felt “optimistic” that Dinho will return to the club that marked the site of his formative years. "Ronaldinho feels that he owes our club something," Odone told Brazilian daily Zero Hora. "He told us he wants to return to Gremio and end his career where it started.” Gremio announced that “there is advanced contact between Gremio and the brother and agent of the player” and Odone feels the chances of closing Dinho’s transfer from the Rossoneri are high. Palmeiras and Sao Paulo have also expressed interest in signing the Brazilian playmaker whose contract with AC Milan is set to expire in the summer of 2011. Meanwhile, the legendary Brazilian striker Zico threw Flamengo’s hat into the ring for Dinho’s signing by recently announcing that Flamengo desperately needed a player with Ronaldinho’s skill to bring about the restoration of the club after this year’s disastrous season. January would be the optimal time for a Brazilian club to sign Dinho but a transfer in the summer of 2011 is more likely. That said, AC Milan’s recent signing of Antonio Cassano from Sampdoria has fueled fresh speculation that Dinho may leave Berlusconi’s nest in the January transfer window to return to Brazil, and ultimately conclude his career with a much anticipated swan song season at LA Galaxy in the United States in 2012. If Dinho were to return to Brazil, he would be following in the footsteps of his former World Cup teammates Ronaldo and Roberto Carlos, who, along with Santos sensation Neymar, have gradually begun to reverse the trend of Brazilian players plying their trade in foreign shores.
For more on Ronaldinho, see:
Bringing Back the Beautiful Game: Player Profile: Ronaldinho Gaucho
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