Ronaldinho Chooses AC Milan: A Good Move For All Concerned?

It looks like the protracted transfer of Ronaldinho has finally been concluded, with the former Barcelona man ultimately deciding to make the move to AC Milan. His agreement concludes what has been a summer of speculation surrounding the 28-year-old.

The other interested party, Manchester City, failed to land the Brazilian despite reportedly offering nearly double Milan’s £14.9 million transfer bid—not to mention a staggering £200,000-a-week in wages.

Thaksin Shinawatra, the Man City Chairman, will undoubtedly be upset to lose out on one of the world’s most recognisable players. While he must be cursing his luck, the deal looks to be a good one for the other two clubs involved.

Milan, despite not competing in the Champion’s League this season, have captured a player who has the potential to put them back amongst Europe's elite. The financial deficit created by missing out on the money-spinning competition (not to mention their outlay on the Brazilian) should also be recouped by the inevitable increase in merchandise the player brings, at home and in the lucrative Asian markets.

Ironically, it could be argued that the lack of top European football has made summer negotiations with rival clubs a little easier—selling Ronaldinho to Milan means that Barcelona will not come up against their dangerous former player in Europe this season (baring any fall into the UEFA Cup). 

Barcelona, too, have made themselves a good deal—£14.9 million is not a bad fee for a disruptive influence, outside the first-team plans, who is by no means guaranteed to return to the undoubted quality he displayed just two years ago.

With harmony at the Catalan club also restored, the squad should be in a better position to challenge Real Madrid more thoroughly for domestic honours.

While shirt sales will certainly fall, Barcelona is one of the few clubs in the world that can be considered bigger than any player. Their "brand" will certainly survive. Just like on the pitch, the bank balance can survive the loss of a useful asset.

The only real loser in this whole transfer saga could be Ronaldinho himself. While potentially a talismanic player, capable of the sort of performances few others in the world can even dream of, at this point he looks disturbed and out of sorts.

If rumours are to be believed, his drinking has begun to dominate his life, in a similar way to compatriot Adriano—whose career was derailed by the affliction.

The Inter striker is only just re-discovering his form—Ronny might do well to ask the advice of his international teammate when they are both in Milan.

The crucial question is this: Are Milan prepared to spend the time and resources needed in order to get Ronaldinho in the correct mental state to play his best?

The answer is by no means assured.

The club is a massive one, with huge expectations and a fan base that demand success. Will Ronaldinho be afforded the time he desperately needs to get his head straight?

Or will he be thrown into the spotlight from day one and be expected to reproduce the form that got him crowned World Player of the Year?

Do the Rossoneri have the patience for any other approach?

At Manchester City, it is doubtful he would have been given much off-field help— throwing £200,000-a-week at the 28-year-old is not the way to solve his problems. Shinawatra wanted a marquee player, whose marketability could be exploited for financial gain, and not a time-consuming effort to repair a former great.

Unfortunately, the Milan chairman Silvio Berlusconi looks to be a similarly demanding chairman. Fortunately for the Brazilian, his manager Carlo Ancelotti and Vice-President Adriano Galliani seem to have enough influence within the club to placate their demanding chairman.

If they can protect and nurture the Brazilian, he could again become the player that fans around the world grew to love.

Pride should also play a part. Ronaldinho’s pride was hurt at Barca, where there was rumoured to be a belief amongst the management that, with Leo Messi and Bojan Krkic on board, perhaps the Catalan giants didn’t need the iconic number 10 with a massive ego any longer.

Ronaldinho, getting wind of this affront, reacted poorly and descended into the series of drinking sessions and "injuries" that angered his employers, only accelerating his departure.

Now at Milan, Ronaldinho already has the incentive to prove the Barca hierarchy wrong. He will want to prove he is still one of the best players in the game. But equally, he will want to prove he is more than a match for his new teammates.

Compatriot Kaka has taken his mantle of World Player of the Year—Ronaldinho will want to give his successor a run for his money.

And another Brazilian teammate, the teenage striker Alexandre Pato, has been touted by many as the future of Brazilian football—Ronny will want to show him and the fans that they should not consign him to the past just yet.

If Ronaldinho had opted for Manchester City, would he have been so keen to prove his worth against Dietmar Hamann and Darius Vassell?

Ultimately, it appears that Ronaldinho has made the first step on the path back to form by opting for the San Siro over Eastlands.

This is not to insult Man City; right now they simply would not provide the right environment for a troubled man.

The next steps however, are not just down to the player, but his new club too. If Milan are not prepared to put in the time to counsel their expensive acquisition then he could fall further into the abyss, continuing to alienate fans and players alike.

But if the club are willing, and the Brazilian himself is prepared to work hard, then we could still see that familiar goofy smile gracing the greatest stages in world football.

Isn’t that, when all is said and done, what every football fan really wants?