Sao Paulo chase Rivaldo
AFP, Sao Paulo
Brazilian club Sao Paulo have joined the chase to sign World Cup winner Rivaldo who was released by his Italian side AC Milan earlier this month and are prepared to offer him a monthly salary of 80,000 dollars (65,000 euros). Sao Paulo bosses will put their proposal before the 31-year-old midfielder's agent Carlos Arini on Tuesday. "It's a large sum for a Brazilian club but small compared to European salaries," admitted Sao Paulo president Marcelo Portugal Gouvea. "Everything is now in the player's hands. We can't do anything more. We would like to sort this out by January 10." A clutch of clubs are reported to be chasing Rivaldo, but a stumbling block could be his wages. He was reported to be on 215,000 euros (258,000 dollars) a week at Milan. Rivaldo's agent says they have had three offers from English Premiership clubs and have already turned down an offer of one million dollars a month to play in Qatar. Portuguese giants Benfica are also reported to be interested. The former FIFA World Player of the Year joined Milan from Barcelona after Brazil's World Cup triumph in Japan. But Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti limited him to just 16 Serie A matches, and eight Champions League games last season, when he only made the bench in the Champions League final against Inter Milan. This season has been even worse for Rivaldo, who has made only one substitute appearance in the Champions League, and has not played in Serie A. But he has kept his place in the Brazil team, playing five internationals for the World Champions, including four World Cup qualifying matches.
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