AC Milan have "definitively broken off" negotiations for a possible transfer of Brazilian striker Ronaldo from Real Madrid. The Italian club did not elaborate further.

Real Madrid said yesterday they did not want Ronaldo to leave but were prepared to continue negotiations with Milan over his future.

"We don't want to sell Ronaldo but it doesn't depend on us," Real's sporting director Predrag Mijatovic said.

"We are talking with Milan out of respect because they are a great club and there are still three or four days in which we can continue talking."

Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani and sporting director Ariedo Braida had been in Madrid for talks with Mijatovic on Wednesday but returned to Italy after failing to reach an agreement.

But Milan said Galliani was not involved in transfer negotiations because of a ban imposed on him by an Italian soccer tribunal ruling on match-fixing allegations.

Spanish media reported that Milan had offered €22 million for the three-times World Player of the Year who played for their city rivals Inter for five years before moving to Real for €45 million in 2002.

The nine-times European champions value Ronaldo at close to €30 million and wanted a preferential option to buy Milan's Brazilian midfielder Kaka included in the deal.

"The player is very happy at Real Madrid," said Mijatovic. "I would like him to stay. He is happy and for us to let him leave it would have to be a very important offer."

Real have said that Inter are also interested.

Ronaldo, who turns 30 next month, has scored 100 goals since joining Real and has been top scorer in each of his four seasons at the club.  Reuters