Ronaldinho too expensive for us, says Moratti

Ronaldinho is too expensive even for Italian champions Inter Milan, their president Massimo Moratti said on Tuesday.

In an interview with Italy's Gazzetta dello Sport, Barcelona president Joan Laporta claimed he wanted at least 40 million euros for the sale of the Brazilian two-time world player of the year.

That was a day after Barca's Dutch coach Frank Rijkaard admitted that Ronaldinho would be heading away from the Nou Camp at the end of the season.

“The price for Ronaldinho is a bit high, we're following events … but it seems to me that we're not the most interested,” said Moratti. “There are others who have made their interest official.”

Inter's city rivals AC Milan have long let the world know they want to sign the Brazilian but they want to pay less than half Barca's asking price.

Premiership sides Chelsea and Manchester City, the latter owned by billionaire former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Sinawatra, are both also rumoured to be in the chase for the player.

Laporta talked up the Brazilian in the Gazzetta interview, making some claims that many will find hard to swallow given how keen Barcelona are to sell Ronaldinho.

“Ronaldinho is a great guy, he's never been the slightest problem and I'm certain that when he gets better he'll be just as good as before,” said Laporta.

“He just needs a new motivation but that's not to say he's definitely going because he can find that with us, given that he is contracted until 2010.”