Ronaldinho happy in red and black

AC Milan are counting on a swift return to the top level of European football, now that Ronaldinho...

AC Milan are counting on a swift return to the top level of European football, now that Ronaldinho has joined Kaka and Alexandre Pato in an all-Brazilian attack that any club would envy.

Milan announced late Tuesday that they had finalised a deal to sign Ronaldinho from FC Barcelona, ending several days of negotiations.

“It’s true. I really wanted to come to Milan. A lot of things happened and at the end I became Rossonero (red-black),” Ronaldinho told Milan’s TV station. “I’m happy to be here and I hope I can provide a lot of joy to Milan’s fans.

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“It’s great to find so many Brazilians, and also so many other champions wearing the Milan jersey.”

Milan finished a disappointing fifth in Serie A last season and were eliminated by Arsenal in the second round of the Champions League. This season, Milan will play in the second-tier UEFA Cup.

“With him, with Kaka, and all the other champions, we must try to have a good season for our fans,” Pato said Wednesday. “We’ve got to do more than we did last season and help Milan return to the Champions League.”

“Ronaldinho brings a lot of enthusiasm and enthusiasm is just the ingredient we need to start the season well. A few years ago he was considered the best player in the world. Here at Milan he’ll find the right environment to get back to that level,” Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti said.

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Barcelona said AC Milan will pay euro21 million for Ronaldinho and an additional euro4 million if the Italian club clinches a place in the 2009-10 Champions League. The transfer amount was considerably less than the euro32 million that Barcelona said Manchester City had offered.

Milan said that the Brazilian would be the club’s final addition in this transfer market.

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