Brazilian wants to stay at Real
Monday, 24 May 2004
Players:
Roberto Carlos
Teams:
Real Madrid
by Mark Buckingham
Roberto Carlos insists he wants to stay at Real Madrid despite reports in Brazil claiming he has played his last game for the Spanish giants.
The 31-year-old´s future has been subject to intense speculation in recent months, with moneybags Chelsea rumoured to be willing to sign the marauding left back.
His contract at Real expires at the end of next season and Roberto Carlos is rumoured to want a new four-year deal while the club are prepared to only offer two years.
Real´s failure to win a trophy this term has also sparked talk that they will rebuild the team for the next campaign, with Roberto Carlos a player who could be sacrificed.
Reports in Brazil claim the adventurous full back has already decided that Sunday´s 4-1 defeat to Real Sociedad was the final time he would don a Real shirt and he will move to Stamford Bridge in the summer.
But the World Cup winner is adamant he will decide his future and told Real´s official website that his goal is to stay at El Santiago Bernabeu.
" Much is speculated on about my future but I am the one that decides things in my life," he said.
" People sell the news they want but I prefer that, when there is news, it is from me, whether I will be leaving or staying.
" I want to stay at Real Madrid and believe that, in the next 20 days, I will fix my situation here.
" Next year I am here, certainly. I will go away on holiday and when the club wants to call me, I will come to talk.
" I need rest because there have been many continuous years of playing many games. I must rest to return for a positive season.
" I will arrive in Brazil on Tuesday night, my lawyer will call the club and he will fix my situation."