Barca's Rivaldo linked with move to rivals Real Madrid

Brazilian World Cup winner Rivaldo arrived back in Barcelona yesterday to huge speculation about his future, with newspapers claiming he could even end up at arch-rivals Real Madrid.

Rivaldo, who scored five goals in the World Cup, is out of contract in June 2003 - when he could leave on a free transfer - and the Catalan club are considering their options.

Rivaldo had a row with coach Louis van Gaal during the Dutchman’s first spell in charge, and Barcelona newspapers claimed on Saturday the club is ready to let him walk away now, saving estimated salary costs of 7.5m.

That would also solve a problem over the number of non-EU players in their squad. Clubs in Spain are allowed to register four ‘foreigners’ and with Rivaldo, Barcelona have five.

Real Madrid’s sporting director Jorge Valdano laughed off reports that his club are about to bid for the player, just as they signed Luis Figo from their arch-rivals two years ago.

“There is no Rivaldo situation as far as we’re concerned,” Valdano said. “Rivaldo is a Barcelona player and this is all just newspaper speculation.

“If Rivaldo were to become free that could interest us, though. We’re always interested in the world’s best players.”

Rivaldo’s teammates at Barcelona are keen for him to stay, although there seems to be a growing feeling that he could be about to leave.

The presentation of the Barcelona squad for the 2002-03 season is scheduled for Monday evening, by which time Spanish international midfielder Gaizka Mendieta may have joined on a loan deal from Lazio.

Rivaldo will almost certainly be part of that presentation, too, but how long he remains a Barcelona player appears open to question. Lazio’s Spanish international midfielder Gaizka Mendieta will play on loan at Barcelona next season, the Spanish club has announced.

Barcelona will also have an option to buy the former Valencia player for an unspecified fee at the end of the season, according to the Catalan club’s official website.

Mendieta undergoes a medical today before being presented as a Barca player.

Lazio paid Valencia $41m for Mendieta last year. But he failed to find the form that made him one of the most respected playmakers in Europe and spent much of last season on the sidelines in Italy.

Mendieta was close to sealing a move to Barcelona in June before the deal broke down over a clause in his contract which said a penalty of 12m euro would have to be paid to his former club if he moved back to Spain before 2003.

Valencia agreed to reduce that amount this week following a meeting with Lazio, giving the green light for Barcelona to make a renewed bid.

Elsewhere, Swedish striker Jorgen Petterson has signed a three-year contract with Danish Superleague runners-up FC Copenhagen. Petterson, 27, had not played for German Bundesliga team FC Kaiserslautern since 1999. He has won 26 caps but has not played for Sweden since 2000.