Ronaldinho Transfer Offer Reportedly Snubbed by Newcastle United

Newcastle United reportedly turned down the chance to sign Brazil legend Ronaldinho because his wage demands were too high.

The two-time FIFA World Player of the Year is currently a free agent having left Brazilian club Fluminense in September last year.

Ronaldinho reportedly wants a chance to finish his career in the Premier League and was offered to Newcastle, but the Magpies never pushed through the move because his £6 million-a-season wage demands were considered too steep, per Alan Nixon in the Sun.

The former Barcelona star's UK agent, Barry O’Connor, admitted that few clubs would be willing to pay so much for Ronaldinho, per Nixon:

"

Asking any club to pay that amount for a 36-year-old no matter what his past pedigree is a big ask. 

If I am totally realistic any club interested in signing Ronaldinho would probably want to do a deal on a pay as you play basis.

The big question is whether Ronaldinho would be able to handle the cut and thrust of the pace of the game here in England. 

He wants a chance big time and sees playing here in England as the ideal way to finish his career.

"

The Champions League and World Cup winner was once considered the best player on the planet but has been on the decline since his move from Barca to AC Milan in 2008. 

He would still be a box-office signing for any Premier League club, though, as his style of play is as entertaining as any.

Indeed, current Premier League leaders Leicester City reportedly made an approach to sign Ronaldinho in January but were left disappointed, per Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo (via Jack de Menezes in the Independent).

The report stated that the former Paris Saint-Germain playmaker could end up moving to China.

Chinese Super League clubs have been extravagant with their spending recently, with Ramires, Jackson Martinez and Alex Teixeira all making huge-money moves, per Bleacher Report's Dean Jones:

A move to the Far East may be the only way for Ronaldinho to satisfy his wage demands as it does seem unlikely that an English top-flight club will be willing to meet such an astronomic request.

There was a time, though, when Ronaldinho was the most coveted star in Europe, and Sir Alex Ferguson famously tried to buy him for Manchester United from PSG before he moved to the Camp Nou.

Those times are now long past, and it seems highly unlikely that Ronaldinho will get his move to the Premier League unless he drops his demands significantly.