Leeds United offers $80 million for Ronaldinho
Leeds United has offered $80 million to Gremio for 19-year-old Brazilian striker Ronaldo de Assis Moreira, better known as Ronaldinho, the Agencia Estado news agency reported on Saturday.
The offer, reportedly the most for a soccer player, was confirmed by both the president and vice-president of Gremio.
"We have to evaluate the proposal calmly," Antonio Vicente Martins, the club's vice-president was quoted as saying. "It's not only the money we have to consider, but the player's career as well."
Gremio president, Jose Alberto Guerreiro said representatives from the English team were scheduled to arrive on Wednesday to discuss the offer in Porto Alegre, where the Brazilian club is based.
"It's a proposal we never dreamed of receiving," Guerreiro said, adding that Ronaldinho is under contract to Gremio until 2001.
Ronaldinho is in Thailand with the Brazilian national team for an exhibition game scheduled for Feb.23.
The 19-year-old striker was the leading scorer in the recent South American Olympic qualifying tournament, where he scored nine goals. Brazil swept the tournament unbeaten.
-SPORTS ILLUSTRATED, FEB 2000
The craziest rumour was way back in 1987, when Bill Fotherby made ripples when enquiring about Diego Maradona, who had just single handedly (pun intended) guided Argentina to the World Cup title and was widely regarded as the best player in the world. The move was set to smash Leeds' £930,000 transfer record which was paid for Peter Barnes with the wages set to be paid by local businessmen. Earlier back, Leeds were supposedly in for another World Cup winner, the West German midfielder Rainer Bonhof and in 1994 Leeds were in for Tomas Skuhravy who was setting alight Serie A at the time...
LEEDS DENY SNAG IN SKUHRAVY DEAL
The managing director Bill Fotherby, aware of reports that Skuhravy's pounds 3m move to Elland Road was in doubt, faxed his club Genoa for clarification.
'I've just received the reply and the deal is on. The boy will be here on Monday week to sign and for a medical,' Fotherby said.
-THE INDEPENDENT, JULY 1994
They all made a big splash in the papers, but unfortunately like Ronaldinho, Maradona, Bonhof and I believe Henry as well, he didn't make the switch to Elland Road and the rest is history.