Brazilian striker Robinho wants a move to Major League Soccer, and negotiations are underway to make it happen, AC Milan CEO Adriano Galliani told media at a press conference on Friday.
Robinho has repeatedly been linked with 2015 MLS expansion club Orlando City in recent months, and Galliani gave the closest thing to official confirmation that has yet been made public. But the veteran Milan executive sounds uninclined to let him go at anything short of full value.
“Robinho wants to go to the American MLS,” Galliani said at an event introducing new Milan signings Michelangelo Albertazzi, Michael Agazzi, Jeremy Menez and Alex, which was transcribed and posted on the club's website. “The negotiations with Orlando have begun. They want Robinho, but we’re not close to concluding the deal.”
Robinho is currently under contract with the Italian giants until June 2016, which would suggest that a transfer fee will be required to pry him loose from the Rossoneri.
- Learn more about OCSC at OrlandoCitySC.com
Milan did consent to a mutual termination of Kaka's contract earlier this month, however, in order for the midfielder to join OCSC as the Lions' first-ever Designated Player.
For now at least, Galliani left no doubt about his willingness to play hardball on Robinho's case.
“The relationship with Robinho remains excellent, though, and it is just one of the many negotiations that are ongoing,” he noted.
