[Niles Crane]

Blackburn Rovers have made an audacious bid to sign Ronaldinho from Milan. The plan is the brainchild of Balaji Rao, a member of the family who run Venky's, the Indian chicken company which recently bought the Lancashire club.

Ronaldinho has been given permission by Milan to find a new club and was widely believed to be heading back to Brazil to play for Gremio. But his brother and agent, Roberto de Assis, revealed to he Daily Mirror that Blackburn and another unnamed Premier League club have been in contact with him about signing the Brazilian World Cup winner.

"Blackburn have contacted us. There is also other interest in England but this is confidential," said De Assis.

Venky's leaked news of its interest on its website briefly yesterday before removing it. However, sources close to Rovers reveal the move has been on for the past month.

Rovers are understood to have offered Ronaldinho a £130,000-per-week, two-and-a-half-year contract and would also have to pay Milan a fee.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2...l&type=article

Good grief.