Pages

Tuesday 30 July 2013

ATLETICO MINEIRO ACCEPTS SHAKHTAR DONETSK's OFFER ON BERNARD

Atletico Mineiro have accepted an offer from Shakhtar Donetsk for Bernard, according to the Brazilian club's president.

However, Bernard appears closer to a move to Porto, with his father having revealed that compatriot Hulk has convinced him to move to Portugal, while his agent wants the same and has branded a move to Arsenal "risky".


Rumours in Brazil on Tuesday have indicated that a transfer to the Portuguese champions could be finalised on Friday, but Atletico chief Alexandre Kalil has revealed that, so far, only Shakhtar have submitted an offer that matches the club's asking price of £22 million.

"Things are very advanced, [Wednesday] will probably be his last game [for the club]," he told reporters. "The team is Shakhtar. They offered the value we want. If Bernard wants, he will go.

"If he does not want to go to Ukraine, that's no problem. It's in his hands. I have talked with him. It's a private matter. If he does not want to go, we will not force him."

The 20-year-old has also confirmed that he is considering the offer, but that he is yet to decide if it will be right move for him ahead of next summer's World Cup.
"I don't know if it will be best for me, I'm talking with my family," he was reported as saying by Lancenet. "But nothing is certain yet. I had a meeting with the president and he told me what Shakhtar offered him and myself. It is between Porto and Shakhtar."

Bernard, who has been named in Luiz Felipe Scolari's squad to face Switzerland on August 14, had himself suggested in a press conference on Monday that Wednesday's Brazilian league match against Atletico Paranese would be his final appearance for the Belo Horizonte side.

The attacker also said that he hopes the saga that has surrounded his future is soon brought to a close, but hopes to stay with the Copa Libertadores winners until after December's Club World Cup campaign.

"I want to resolve it quickly, if go or stay, because this story is already boring," he told reporters. "I want to stay [to compete in the Club World Cup], I made it clear I did not want to go before the end of the year.

"If I have the opportunity to sign and go after the Club World Cup that would be very important. I want to have the chance to win it for Atletico."

Bernard, who had attracted interest from Arsenal, Tottenham and Liverpool, wants his next club to provide him with the opportunity to play in the World Cup.

"I've been studying the possibilities and proposals that have been put forward to Atletico and to me," he added. "We are looking and talking, seeing what is best for us.

"I want to be at a club that gives me visibility. I said I want to be at the World Cup and my chances grow by being at a club with good visibility. I want to be playing, regardless of where it is, but I want to be happy."

The suggestion in the Brazilian media, fuelled by talk from Bernard's agent and his father, is that Porto would be a better option for the player given the failure of Willian and Fernandinho to make the Brazil squad on a regular basis while playing in Ukraine.

follow us on twitter www.twitter.com/sportscyber

0 comments:

Post a Comment