Could Ronaldinho be heading back to Brazil?

Brazilian club Gremio have claimed to have held talks with AC Milan star Ronaldinho’s representatives about a deal to bring the star back to his homeland.

The 30 year-old started his professional career at Gremio, playing there for three years before moving to Europe with Paris St Germain.

Talks

Gremio club president told Zero Hora: “He told us he wants to return,” “Ronaldinho feels that he owes our club something. He told us he wants to return to Gremio and end his career where it started. There are conversations going on and a very good chance that the move will go through.”

That statement makes it sound like there is a real possibility of the former World Player of the Year ending his career in Brazil.

He wouldn’t be the first Brazilian in recent years to spend the twilight of their career in their homeland.

The likes of Brazilian greats Ronaldo and Roberto Carlos have recently returned to their home country after spending the vast majority of their careers in Europe. Ronaldinho has been in Europe for nearly a decade and maybe he feels it’s time to return home.

Regular

His career has gone downhill in recent years and he is struggling to get into the AC Milan side. The Rossoneri are currently leading the Serie A table without the Brazilian being a regular and it could lead to him leaving the club.

Great

He is a former-great there is no doubt about it. He has claimed the World Player of the Year title twice and won every major title in the game. The playmaker helped revived Barcelona’s flagging fortunes in Spain and became one of the most famous players in the world.

Yet in the last few years he has found it difficult to recapture his best form and some say he is now more interested in his party lifestyle than football. It’s a sad state of affairs for Ronaldinho. At just 30 years of age it looks like his time at the top level of football is over.

It feels like the last few years he has wasted his mercurial talent, he could have become an all-time great. He will still go down as a top player but I don’t think he will be rated as one of the best players ever.

Loved

Ronaldinho is the sort of guy that needs to be loved. He was loved at Gremio and also in his first couple of seasons at Barcelona. When he feels that he is not loved anymore he decides to move on. I don’t think he is currently idolised at the Rossoneri, so a move away could suit everybody.

If he returned to Gremio he would be treated like a returning hero. He would again feel the love he needs to feel to perform at his best. Maybe at Gremio he can start to enjoy his football again. He used to play with a smile on his face.

In recent years we have seen less of that smile and more of a look of frustration from the Brazilian international. Ronaldinho is the sort of player who plays football for the enjoyment of the game and when he’s not enjoying playing he doesn’t perform well.

Return

I hope for his sake that he returns to his best form soon. If that means a return to Brazil then so be it. The ex-Barca star is one of the best players I have ever had the pleasure to watch and at this moment in time his talent is just stagnating. I hope he starts to enjoy his football again.

Will Ronaldinho be returning to Brazil to join Gremio?