If Ronaldinho does sign for Manchester United — the story isn’t over by far — the sighs of relief at Old Trafford will echo around the Premiership. Not so much for footballing reasons as for a restoration of self-pride that has been dented in the close season. And down south, United’s rivals Arsenal will be hoping for some good news of their own to lighten the mood after a bitterly disappointing season. Ronaldinho desperate to play for Manchester United LONDON: Ronaldinho cannot wait to be the first Brazilian to wear the colours of English Premier League champions Manchester United. “I am desperate to become the first Brazilian to play for Manchester United,” Ronaldinho told Sunday’s News of the World. “All the biggest stars from the past and today — like Pele, Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos and even Rivaldo wanted to be the first to play for United. But I want to be the first Brazilian ever to be a Red - and I know I am going to be.” United are reported to have offered Ronaldinho’s French club Paris St Germain a deal worth œ18.75 million ($30.70 million) to sign the 23-year-old World Cup-winner, who has already agreed personal terms with the English club. “Today, Manchester United are one of the three best clubs in the world.” Ronaldinho said. “Their squad is so good that I can more or less compare them to the (world champion) Brazilian volleyball team. There are 23 fantastic players at Old Trafford and so I cannot rest for one moment if I want to get into the side. Professionally, there could be nothing more demanding in the world than playing at Old Trafford — even more so than playing at Real Madrid.” Chelsea and Barcelona are also still interested in signing Ronaldinho, according to media reports. What both of them will be regarding, with not incosiderable nervousness, is the potential challenge of Chelsea after its takeover by Roman Abramovich, oil mogul and second-richest man in Russia. That development could set up Chelsea as the only other club with the funds to challenge the Big Two. This would be most worrisome for United, used as they are to being the only club where money doesn’t seem to matter. What will add to their concerns is the fact that even that money hasn’t got them very far this summer. Ronaldinho still hasn’t signed for them and, if and when he does, it will largely be because he can’t join Real Madrid. Indeed, the Premiership champions have already been snubbed twice in the space of a few weeks, unthinkable even a few months ago. The most recent was from Harry Kewell, who turned down a last-minute plea by phone from Alex Ferguson to join Liverpool (who aren’t even in the Champions League next season). And it will be no solace that Kewell turned down Arsenal too. The first cut was closer home and doubtless hurt more. Ferguson, needing an assistent to replace Carlos Queiroz, sought out former United idol and current Wales manager Mark Hughes. It didn’t take long for Hughes to say no. Arsenal are in a worse situation. At least United have three solid, though low-profile, signings to show for their efforts; Highbury, where the need is greater, hasn’t had a new entrant since the season ended. With their first warm-up game a week away, they need a couple of defenders and a goalkeeper to replace David Seaman. A 10-million pound bid for Seville’s teenage striker Jose Antonio Reyes was rebuffed with the Spanish club saying they wouldn’ even sell his boots for that amount. Equally disquieting are the rumbles within. Denis Bergkamp has made it clear he’s willing to leave, Robert Pires hasn’t clarified that he isn’t. And there’s been the embarassing story of Patrick Vieira, who was first said to have signed for another four years, ending much speculation over whether he would join Beckham and Queiroz at Real Madrid. But then the Arsenal captain issued a clarification on his website saying the deal wasn’t done. And there it stands till today. Which brings us back to Chelsea, last heard closing in on Irish winger Damien Duff whom even Man United and Liverpool found beyond their means. They have an ambitious shopping list; having already signed up Cameroon midfielder Geremi, they could still net Patrick Kluivert — and maybe a couple from Highbury. Last season was Chelsea’s best in recent years, thanks largely to their defence in which Desailly and Gallas proved the most effective central pairing. With bite in midfield and an additional scorer up front, they may go from being a ‘cup’ team to a league team. That’s the danger for both United and Arsenal. For the Gunners, Chelsea’s threat is the sheer money at their command; United, run as a plc and answerable to share-holders, will envy their freedom to use that money. Most worryingly, Abramovich — still only 36 — has indicated that money will not be thrown about, rather invested wisely. A month before the Premiership starts, the action is already hot.
