Ronaldinho agent plays down exit talk

Roberto Assis, the brother and agent of Barcelona’s Ronaldinho, has denied claims the 28-year-old forward has already made up his mind to leave the Catalan club in the summer.

Reports originating yesterday in Brazil suggested Ronaldinho and his brother were considering the possibility of invoking article 17 of FIFA’s transfer regulations, which allows players to buy out the remainder of their contract under certain circumstances.