Manchetser City rules out Ronaldo deal

{image-brazil ronaldo_17092008.jpg news.oneindia.in}London: UAE conglomerate-owned Manchester City today appeared to have done an about turn on signing veteran Brazilian forward Ronaldo.

The Brazil legend had claimed that he is weighing up a 60,000-pound offer from the cash-rich Premier League club that was once owned by former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. City has now revealed to The Sun that they will not be bringing the injury-prone striker to Eastlands. A club spokesman said: “We had shown a past interest in bringing the player to the football club in the right circumstances and spoke to him and his representatives. However, we have chosen not to pursue the matter."

Ronaldo had earlier claimed that Manchester City were on the brink of offering him a one-year deal to relaunch his career at Eastlands.

The former Real Madrid and AC Milan striker, a free agent since leaving the San Siro at the end of June, said City had offered him a 60,000-pounds-a-week package to move to the Premier League.

Ronaldo, whose career has been ravaged by a series of knee injuries and regular problems with his weight, has spent recent weeks in Rio de Janeiro training with former club Flamengo.

The 31-year-old had said that he was keen to team up with his compatriot, 32.5 million pound British record signing Robinho, once he proved that he has recovered from the knee injury that ended his Milan career.

The two-time FIFA World Footballer of the Year has been out of competitive action since rupturing ligaments in his left knee in February, and is expected to be out of action until December.

City, now billed as the world"s richest club following Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan"s arrival at the club earlier this month, are determined to continue to build their global profile.

ANI