Sunday, 10 July 2011

Wagner Ribeiro: "I am totally in favor of Real Madrid"

Neymar's agent, Wagner Ribeiro, has expressed anger at the modus operandi of the Barcelona president, Sandro Rosell, in the last hours. Ribeiro was blunt with what happened in the last days: "I do not like the way as Rosell has behaved. They went to speak directly with the player and his father to the Brazilian training center. From the moment in which Santos authorized both Barcelona and Real Madrid to talk to the player, should have spoken to me first, I'm his agent, and not to the player directly...".

Ribeiro talking at the Valdebebas Sports City
Wagner Ribeiro

Sandro Rosell was in Buenos Aires visiting the school that FC Barcelona has opened in the town of Lujan, near the capital of Argentina. Barcelona leader attended the Brazil-Venezuela match as an "honored guest" of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) and moved in a vehicle to La Plata Stadium, where witnessed the match. Subsequently, Rosell attended the hotel concentration of Brazilians, located in Campana, 60 km from Buenos Aires, and slept there. And that's where he spoke with Neymar and the father (by telephone). The next morning he went to Brazil with Ricardo Teixeira, president of the CBF, with whom he maintains a close relationship. Then he convened a summit with key men in Neymar's transfer: his father, the sports director of Santos and his agent, Wagner Ribeiro.

In the last hours, Ribeiro has made clear his position regarding the interest of both clubs: "I am totally in favor of negotiating with Real Madrid. I know well Florentino Perez since Robinho signed for the white team. And when Neymar was 13, he trained 15 days with Real Madrid and the club showed interest in signing him, but his father advised him to stay at Santos. So, if I had to choose one of the two, I would choose to Real Madrid", confirmed the player's agent.