Blackburn Rovers have made an audacious £20m-plus bid to land AC Milan star Ronaldinho.
Rovers were linked with a move for 30-year-old Brazil international earlier this week, only for director Venkatesh Rao to tell the Lancashire Telegraph that there was nothing in the reports.
However, chairwoman Anuradha Desai has now confirmed that the Brazilian office of owners Venky’s are in negotiations with representatives of Ronaldinho, who has fallen out of favour at Milan this season.
She told BBC Radio Lancashire: “He is keen to play in the English Premier League and I think that goes in our favour.
“To be precise (the deal) is £6.5m for the first year and about £7.2m for the second and third years.”
And Rovers boss Steve Kean believes the offer is a real statement of intent from the club’s new owners.
Kean added: “I know there has been contact made by the owners to representatives of Ronaldinho but I don't know how far down the line it is and whether it will actually happen.
“If any Premier League manager was asked if they wanted to sign someone who has been World Player of the Year twice they would be interested.
“Everyone should look at it as a positive, it has been a long time since we have been able to do that.”