Barcelona striker Ronaldinho has revealed that he turned down a £55m offer from Chelsea to remain with the Catalan club.
The Brazilian agreed a new contract with Barcelona last week, quelling speculation that he might leave the club.
“You know why I didn’t go to Chelsea even though they offered me more than £55m, because I love football and to play it attractively,” he said.
Barcelona have reportedly upped Ronaldinho’s annual salary from £2.5m to £3.3m in a deal that will keep him at the Nou Camp until 2008. His buy-out clause has been increased from £66m to a staggering £100m.
“We are very satisfied with the agreement,” Barcelona president Joan Laporta added on the club’s official website.
“Ronaldinho deserves it and we had to make this extra effort for him as much for the human qualities he has demonstrated this season as for his sporting achievements.
“Ronaldinho is going to mark a new era at this club.”
