Milan and Real Madrid end talks over Ronaldo

ROME, Aug 25 (Reuters) AC Milan today said negotiations for a possible transfer of Brazilian striker Ronaldo from Real Madrid had been ''definitively broken off''.

The Italian club, which made the announcement in a statement on its website, did not give more details.

Real Madrid yesterday said they did not want Ronaldo to leave the club but were prepared to continue negotiations with Milan over his future.

''We don't want to sell Ronaldo but it doesn't depend on us,'' Real's sporting director Predrag Mijatovic said at the Champions League draw in Monaco.

''We are talking with Milan out of respect because they are a great club and there are still three or four days in which we can continue talking.'' Real Madrid said that Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani and sporting director Ariedo Braida had been in Madrid for talks with Mijatovic on Wednesday but returned to Italy after failing to reach an agreement.

However, Milan said Galliani was not involved in transfer negotiations because of a ban imposed on him by an Italian soccer tribunal ruling on match-fixing allegations.

Spanish media reported that Milan had offered 22 million euros 28.22 million dollars for the three-times World Player of the Year who played for their city rivals Inter for five years before moving to Real for 45 million euros in 2002.

The nine-times European champions value Ronaldo at close to 30 million euros and wanted a preferential option to buy Milan's Brazilian midfielder Kaka included in the deal.

''The player is very happy at Real Madrid,'' said Mijatovic.

''I would like him to stay. He is happy and for us to let him leave it would have to be a very important offer.'' Real have said that Inter are also interested.

Ronaldo, who will turn 30 next month, has notched up 100 goals since joining Real and has been top scorer in each of his four seasons at the club.

REUTERS PM RK1821