Chapter 81: Ronaldinho Falls into My Trap
Although Ronaldinho isn't quite the same as he was before, after a few days of observation, José was able to identify some of his standout qualities.
For instance, his natural feel for the ball was exceptional. Ronaldinho's ball control was remarkable, and despite not being particularly strong, he was stable and could hold his ground in physical duels. His remarkable ball sense meant he didn't need to focus too much on maintaining possession, allowing him to better observe his surroundings. This was a rare talent—one that wasn't easy to come by.
José also noticed that Ronaldinho had an impressive vision on the training ground. During attacking drills, he seemed to always keep track of his teammates' runs—indeed, the very same Ronaldinho who would later become famous for his "pass to the east, shoot to the west" style of passing, fooling defenders with his deceptive plays...
"If you're the real deal, I'll have to bring you with me," José thought to himself.
Meanwhile, things weren't going as smoothly for Silva. Although Ronaldinho was regarded as Brazil's brightest football prospect in recent years, and despite not winning the Olympic gold medal that summer, his achievements in the Copa América and Confederations Cup had made him a well-known figure globally. Such a player wouldn't be easily released by Grêmio.
However, the past year had seen little interest in him, which made Grêmio feel somewhat insecure. After all, despite winning the Copa América and the Confederations Cup, and performing well in the summer, Ronaldinho had spent two and a half years at Grêmio without any serious inquiries—an affront to their pride!
This reality led Grêmio to wonder if European clubs were waiting for Ronaldinho's contract to expire before making a move. After all, at just 22 years old, he would be entering his peak years.
Rather than risk waiting another year and ending up with nothing, Grêmio was willing to settle for whatever they could get now. They were at a natural disadvantage when negotiating with European clubs...
José had timed his visit to Brazil well. Most other leagues wouldn't even begin their winter break until January, but José had made his move a month earlier. Without any competition, Silva was able to better leverage his negotiating skills.