

Atletico Mineiro’s Ronaldinho Gaucho (left) vies for the ball with Lanus’ Jorge Ortiz in a game July 23. (EPA / Paulo Fonseca)

So much for the tantalizing proposition that Ronaldinho would be joining Major League Soccer.

The 34-year-old Brazilian player most emphatically will not be, according to New York Red Bulls sporting director Andy Roxburgh.

“Nobody has ever approached us. We haven’t been approached by anybody mentioning Ronaldinho,” Roxburgh told BigAppleSoccer.com. “And the name suddenly cames at us and the answer is no. … All I’m saying is this, as the sporting director of this club, and I can speak also on behalf of my other colleagues in the business, we have not been approached about him. Nobody has offered us Ronaldinho. No one has said ‘How much money?’

“I saw his name, but I’ve never talked to Ronaldinho or his people or made any offers. And the answer is we wouldn’t be doing it anyway. It’s not a matter of did we or didn’t we? Or who spoke to him or who didn’t speak to him? A great player by the way, fantastic player by the way. He’s not for here.”

Ronaldinho, who recently parted with Brazil’s Atletico Mineiro, is expected to announce his next club soon and, despite a waning number of options, will not retire. “He will play until he’s 42,” his brother and agent, Roberto de Assis, told Sky Sports. “He will reveal his future destination on Wednesday.”