Former Barcelona, AC Milan and Paris SAint-Germain ster Ronaldinho has signed a seventeen month contract with Brazilian club Fluminense.
Bem-vindo, @10Ronaldinho Welcome, @10Ronaldinho #R10noFLU #SomosFluminense pic.twitter.com/Q7k7Clksdg
— Fluminense F.C. (@FluminenseFC) July 11, 2015
The former World Cup, Champions League and Copa Libertadores winner had been in advanced negotiations with the Rio de Janeiro club for the past week, and announced the move via his Twitter account on Saturday. The club confirmed the accord soon after.
Official details of the deal with were not immediately available, but local media said Ronaldinho will earn a monthly salary of about 600,000 reals ($190,000), plus bonuses from the sales of jerseys and other club products.
#R10noFLU pic.twitter.com/6yGvpyb4Zj
— Ronaldinho Gaúcho (@10Ronaldinho) July 11, 2015
The 35-year-old midfielder was released from his contract with Mexican side Queretaro last month, and was reportedly close to signing with fellow Rio club Vasco da Gama before a deal broke down.
He previously spent a tumultuous spell with Fluminense’s eternal rivals Flamengo between 2011 and 2012 then left for Belo Horizonte’s Atletico Mineiro, whom he helped to a Copa Libertadores crown in 2012, before signing with the Mexican side in September of last year.
Ronaldinho said he wants to try to win the Brazilian league, which the two time FIFA World Player of the Year has not yet won.
“It was one of the things that motivated me to return to Brazil, to try to win a trophy that I still don’t have,” he said.
And the 97-times capped Brazil international, who won the World Cup in 2002, is relishing the prospect of playing at the Maracana Stadium on a regular basis with his new team.
“I am very motivated. When I was with another club in Rio de Janeiro we only played at the Engenhao so the possibility of playing at the Maracana is really exciting to me.”
Ronaldinho will join the likes of former Brazilian striker Fred and highle rated youngsters like Marlon and Gerson.
Ronaldinho will be officially introduced to fans before Fluminense’s July 19 match against Vasco at the Maracana Stadium, but he will only begin training on July 27.