Interest in the Barcelona outcast had waned over the past few days after Emmanuel Adebayor’s agent revealed Arsenal were willing to part with the Togolese striker for “just over half” the original £32m asking price.

However, according to O Globo, the Gazzetta dello Sport and El Mundo Deportivo this morning, Adriano Galliani is in Catalonia to finalise the transfer.

The key is the fact that Barcelona have banned Ronaldinho from attending the Beijing Olympics with the Brazil squad.

The club is within its rights to do so, as the tournament does not form part of the FIFA official calendar, but he wants to use it as reason to call on Article 17.

That would allow him to buy himself out of his contract for a small fee and would therefore be free to join Milan rather than await their £20m demands.

Matters will come to a head on Monday, when Ronaldinho will refuse to attend pre-season training with his club.

Instead his agent (and brother) Roberto De Assis will fly in to demand an immediate transfer. Considering Barca are having problems of their own with the club hierarchy in conflict, they could be open to ending this potentially damaging situation before it begins.

Ronaldinho has been training in Porto Alegre and seems to have already lost the weight that caused so many jokes at his expense only a few weeks ago.

It is believed he has agreed to accept a two-year contract with the Rossoneri worth £4m per season.

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Milan may be trying to sign Andriy Shevchenko, Emmanuel Adebayor and Ronaldinho, but Marco Borriello warns he'll walk if competition increases. More

Adebayor 'offered at half-price'
Emmanuel Adebayor’s agent has said Arsenal are willing to sell him to Milan for “a little more than half” the original £32m asking price. More