Barcelona's Brazil star Ronaldinho set to shun Chelsea for sedate pace of Italy

By Mark Alford for MailOnline
Updated: 09:50 EST, 26 March 2008

Barca star Ronaldinho is set to shun Chelsea's advances and head for Italy this summer.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta chaired a board-level meeting yesterday to discuss a number of issues which the Catalan giants intend to address after the climax of the La Liga season this summer. And one of those was the Brazil striker's future, according to reports leaked to the Spanish press.

Laporta is considering paying up the 28-year-old's contract, which expires in 2010, and offloading the out-of-form forward - Ronaldinho was not selected for the Brazil squad to face Sweden at the Emirates - on a free transfer.

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That news is sure to alert Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, who is along-term admirer of the Brazilian and has previously attempted to broker a deal to bring Ronaldinho to Stamford Bridge - as reported by Sportsmail last August.

However, Russian billionaire Abramovich is likely to be left disappointed because the former Paris St Germain striker reportedly favours a move to Italy - in particular AC Milan - over a transfer tot he Barclays Premier League.

Ronaldinho's critics - and there have been many this season - have suggested that the World Cup-winner would rather spend his salad days enjoying the sedate pace of Serie A rather than the hurly burly of England's top flight.

Still a big, fat cheque from a certain Mr R Abramovich could soon cause Ronny to change his mind.