RONALDINHO is set to join Manchester City's Brazilian stars after opening the door on a move away from AC Milan. (Daily Mirror)City boss Mark Hughes tried to land the striker from Barcelona last summer - even before the cash-laden takeover by the Abu Dhabi United group that made the Eastlands outfit the richest club on the planet.

RONALDINHO is set to join Manchester City's Brazilian stars after opening the door on a move away from AC Milan. (Daily Mirror)

City boss Mark Hughes tried to land the striker from Barcelona last summer - even before the cash-laden takeover by the Abu Dhabi United group that made the Eastlands outfit the richest club on the planet.

Flamengo have also targeted the player but Ronaldinho's brother Roberto de Assis Moreira said: “There is no chance of Ronaldinho going back to Brazil at the end of the season.

“But if you ask me whether he could change teams in Europe, I would say yes, definitely.”

City were humiliated when their attempt to land Brazilian superstar Kaka in a world record deal in January flopped.

But they should have more luck with Ronaldinho who would team up with fellow countrymen Robinho and Elano at Eastlands.

Ronaldinho has two years left on a �6million-per-year contract he signed last summer as part of a �16m move from Barcelona.

But Milan will be ready to let him go for around �10m.

Speculation persists over Hughes' own future at the club despite the Welshman's conviction that he will be given the chance to spend some of the huge transfer kitty that will be on offer.

Meanwhile, City are also said to be ready to make a �15million swoop for Chelsea bad-boy Didier Drogba. (The Sun)

Hughes made a firm inquiry about the Ivory Coast hitman in January and, although he was knocked back, the Londoners admitted a summer move was a possibility.

Now City want to push through a three-year deal, worth around �150,000 a week, as soon as the window reopens.

Hughes is desperate to recruit a powerful front man after cooling his interest in Blackburn's Roque Santa Cruz.

Drogba's Stamford Bridge future was up in the air even before last week's foul-mouthed television rant following their Champions League KO.

There is a split within Chelsea over whether to keep him or not but City's offer - for a 31-year-old who has been plagued by injury problems - would be hard to ignore.