Robinho agent reveals all
by Joseph Caron Dawe, 07 September 2008
Robinho’s agent has given an interview in the Manchester City player’s native Brazil, revealing all the juicy ins and outs of the player’s transfer from Real Madrid.
The fallout of Robinho’s switch from Spain to England has been multi-layered, with accusations of Real’s refusal to allow the Brazil international to leave having been countered with claims that the player contemplated buying out his contract with Los Merengues.
Now his representative, Wagner Ribeiro, has explained that both he and the player were celebrating the 24-year-old becoming a Chelsea player, before City’s last-minute offer trumped that of The Blues.
"It was said that Robinho was a Chelsea player, we were celebrating that," Ribeiro said. "When we arrived the press asked about Manchester City, I told them no.
"At quarter to 11 at night they asked me, 'Will Robinho play at Manchester City?'.
"I responded that he would play anywhere but Real Madrid."
Ribeiro also claimed: "Meanwhile, [Chelsea chief executive] Peter Kenyon was calling me desperately trying to know what was happening. But I was already certain that Chelsea and Real Madrid would never reach an agreement of more than €40 million.
"And it was then that I gave the okay to City."
Ribeiro also revealed how the player’s pride was hurt to such an extent that he vowed to leave the Bernabeu at any cost, and also how Robinho told Real president Ramon Calderon just how much he wanted out of the Spanish champions.
"He (Calderon) said that there was no way Robinho would leave the club, that no-one would have the money for him,” Ribeiro told Brazilian radio station Jovem Pan.
"Robinho said, 'I do not want to stay. I would rather be a travelling salesman, sell cakes in the fair, than remain at the club'. He told that to Calderon.
"From that point, after he spoke to the president and the press, everyone turned against him.
"He continued to insist that he didn't want to stay and we thought about going for article 17 [and buying out the rest of his contract]."
Ribeiro added: "He didn't feel valued at Real Madrid anymore, he felt looked down upon. Why should Real Madrid only try hard to renew his contract after Cristiano Ronaldo said he was not going to leave (Manchester) United?
"Robinho's pride was hurt and for that reason no amount of money would have made him stay. He said that even if they paid him double he would not renew his contract."