Ronaldinho’s agent flying to Australia to seal guest player deal with FFA Cup team Wollongong Wolves
WOLLONGONG Wolves have launched an audacious bid to get Brazilian superstar Ronaldinho to play in their FFA Cup Round of 32 clash against Sydney FC next week.
Fox Sports understands Ronaldinho’s agent and brother will be in Australia next week to try seal a deal for the Brazilian to play on August 10.
However, it is understood that the Brazilian, who is reportedly also actively exploring an A-League stint, has wage demands that will likely prove too big an obstacle to the deal transpiring.
But, it seems the Wolves have put themselves in the frame for a stint by the 36-year-old as a guest player, after a club director confirmed that Wollongong had made an offer.
“We have made a formal offer but we haven’t had a response yet,” Dean Merola told Fox Sports.
“Ronaldinho made an offer to come to the club and we’ve [Wollongong] made a counter offer.
“We know he is interested in coming to the A-League as a marquee.
“As a prospect A-League club in the future we are willing to create a platform to show his wares. The deadline for a response is tomorrow.”
In order to play in the FFA Cup, Ronaldinho would need to satisfy the FFA Cup guest player criteria. Each Member Federation club in the final rounds (Round of 32 onwards) can apply to have one guest player that sits outside the club’s player roster, but a big pre-requisite is having significant international experience, which the Brazilian certainly ticks.
According to FFA Cup regulations: “The Guest Player must be a player of significant international reputation who will attract interest, media and fans to the FFA Cup and not be a mechanism to simply bolster the FFA Cup Player Roster of a Member Federation Club, as determined by FFA in its sole and absolute discretion.”
This is not the first time the superstar has been linked with a desire to move, or consider, Australia.
In December 2015, foxsports.com.au reported moves made by the player’s representatives to see if a deal could be brokered for the attacking player to be an A-League guest player in 2016.
There were discussions in Sao Paulo between his management team and Australian based intermediaries to get the wheels in motion, with the 2002 World Cup winner, who was at his peak at Barcelona, where he was named FIFA World Player of the Year in 2004 and 2005, looking for a new club after leaving Brazilian outfit Fluminense.
He was linked with another campaign to find a club in Australia as recently as July, but Wollongong, who are actively trying to show their wares as an expansion side to enter the A-League, are hopeful of bringing Ronaldinho to their club as a major statement of intent.
“Fingers crossed, it would be a big coup for Wollongong!” Merola said.