Milan’s Once and Future Strikers

By: Martha | October 26th, 2007

So happy together. Just so you know, the Ronaldinho-to-Milan story is back again, writ large across the front page of La Gazzetta this morning in a crazy, multi-font headline that screams “SERIOUSLY! WE’RE FOR REAL THIS TIME!” Totally not coincidentally, the story has also resurfaced in Marca, the Tuttosport of Spanish sports dailies (with the lies, just without the Juve fixation).

The root of the latest rumor, one assumes, is the serendipitous convergence of Milan’s Striker Problems with Ronaldinho’s late return from the international weekend — he was partying with Robinho and his condoms after that 5-0 thrashing of poor Ecuador — an offense that got him dropped (”fatigue” my ass) from the team that lost to Villarreal last weekend. Being in the stand is, of course, another reason for Ronnie (Can I call you Ronnie?) to be discontented at Barca, and that’s all the papers needed to write the stories. This time, there’s greater urgency to them: Despite the fact that Milan claim both to have given up on the Brazilian and that they won’t enter into the transfer market this winter, the reports are all pointing to January as the arrival date, at a price of about €60 million, way down from the insane numbers that were flying around over the summer.*

And, just in case you need a tool to convince yourself there’s even a grain of truth to this rumor, it was revealed yesterday that Ronaldo, once thought to be on the verge of a return to the Milan side, is now going to be out EVEN LONGER. Apparently he has a brand new problem in his calf that is expected to keep him out for at least another two weeks; the new targeted return date is mid-November but, really, does anyone believe these goals anymore? And how is it that the Milan medical team can keep Paolo Maldini (mostly) ambulatory deep into his 80s, but they can’t get Ronaldo on the damn field?

*There’s also the possibility of Spurs’ Dimitar Berbatov, who hates Martin Jol and is said to be looking for a way out this winter. Milan were allegedly willing to offer £14 million for the Bulgarian, but whoever replaces the newly sacked Jol might actually play Berbatov, which would ruin any chance Milan had to spirit him away.