Barcelona's unsettled Brazil star Ronaldinho would pick AC Milan if he changes clubs, Milan boss Silvio Berlusconi said Thursday.
''Ronaldinho said a short while ago that if he were to (decide to) change clubs he will ask Barcelona and will only come to Milan,'' Berlusconi told an election talk show.
Earlier on Thursday Milan Deputy Chairman Adriano Galliani said ''the (Ronaldinho) operation will be achieved''.
He said Milan was fighting ''a derby'' with cross-city rivals over the Barca player, who is regarded by many as the most talented footballer of his generation.
Asked to comment, Inter boss Massimo Moratti said ''if there is a derby, it isn't a very hard-fought won''.
Two days ago Berlusconi said AC Milan was doing its utmost to land Ronaldinho.
He claimed the 28-year-old two-time World Player of the Year, who has been linked to several clubs, ''would only be happy in a world champion side''.
''Ronaldinho would also like to come here because there are several Brazil team mates and he knows we treat everyone very well at Milan''.
Milan's forward line features Brazil boy wonder Pato and current world and European player of the year Kaka. All-time great Ronaldo is bidding to return from his third career-threatening injury.
Milan won the European Champions League and the Club World Championship last year but is out of this year's Champions league and struggling to claim Serie A's fourth qualifying slot.
Ronaldinho has played on and off for Barcelona lately amid rumours the club would like to sell him.
The attacking midfielder has scored 70 goals in 149 games for Barca since his move from Paris Saint Germain in 2003.
Ronaldinho has been awarded the FIFA World Player of the Year award in 2004 and 2005 and the European Footballer of the Year award in 2005.
He won his first Brazil cap in 1999 and has scored 32 goals in 80 international appearances.
Arguably the most famous was Brazil's opener in a 2-0 defeat of England in their 2002 World Cup quarter-final, when he shaped up to send a curving free-kick into the box only to hit a ballooning arc that appeared to be sailing over keeper David Seaman but dipped under the bar at the last moment.
He has consistently dodged questions as to whether he meant to shoot, responding only with his trademark grin.
Ronaldinho was sent off later in the match, missing the semi-final, but returned to play a large part in Brazil's 2-0 final victory over Germany.
He was judged to have disappointed at the 2006 World Cup.
