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£20m? No thanks, I'd rather play for Gremio - Ronaldinho rejects Blackburn's huge offer

By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER
Updated: 10:18 EST, 5 January 2011

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Ronaldinho is set to snub a £20million offer from Blackburn to rejoin Gremio.

The AC Milan forward has been offered a jaw-dropping deal to head to Ewood Park but he is now ready to return to Brazil.

Ronaldinho had attracted interest from Flamengo and Palmeiras but he is poised to link up with the club where he started his career.

No thanks: Brazilian great Ronaldinho is set to reject Blackburn's offer

Representatives of the Brazil international and Gremio directors were discussing terms in the hope of thrashing out a deal.

Ronaldinho’s contract with Milan expires at the end of the season and Rovers were confident of luring him to England.

Milan have signed Antonio Cassano, pushing the former Barcelona star closer to the exit door.

On a day of mixed messages between India and Lancashire, Blackburn manager Steve Kean denied the bids have been little more than a PR stunt by controversial new owners Venky’s.

But he admitted hopes of signing ‘Mr Ronaldinho’ — as Venky’s chief Anuradha Desai persistently referred to him — were slipping away.

It's alright for some: Ronaldinho (right) with AC Milan team-mates at a winter training camp in Dubai

He said: ‘I would say it is less likely than it was 48 hours ago. The information I’m getting is that he’s edging towards going back to Brazil, although I don’t know if anybody there can afford him.’

Desai, the chairman of the Indian poultry firm who own Rovers, said she was ‘quite positive and hopeful’ after talks between their representatives and Ronaldinho’s agent.

She said: ‘A French and Brazilian club are interested but he’s keen to play in the EPL (English Premier League).’

Desai added that the deal being offered to the 30-year-old would net him £6.5m for the first 12 months and £7.3m for each of the following two years.

She also said Blackburn have been looking at signing Beckham for some time, and want to resign Damien Duff from Fulham.

Kean also said senior players were warming to Venky’s plans but captain Chris Samba has repeated his desire to leave the club.

AC Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri has confirmed Ronaldinho is set for a move back to Brazil and said today: 'We are all sorry to lose a player of the quality of Ronaldinho. But he has made a life choice by going to Brazil.'