Paris, June 07: Paris St Germain's new coach said in an interview published yesterday that he has no intention of letting go of star Ronaldinho despite reports the Brazilian midfielder wants to leave.
"I didn't come here to sell PSG's best players, but to construct the best team possible," Vahid Halilhodzic, who replaces coach Luis Fernandez, told L'Equipe.
Speculation has been building that Ronaldinho is eager to leave after PSG had a mediocre season and a falling out with Fernandez. On Sunday, he was quoted as saying by the Independent that he wants to join Manchester United.
Halilhodzic told L'Equipe that Ronaldinho has three years remaining on his contract, and wondered whether it was the 23-year-old himself or his entourage who wants him to leave. He also said that allowing Ronaldinho to quit could encourage other defections from the troubled team.
"If I let Ronaldinho leave, how will I persuade the other players to join us?" Halilhodzic said.



PSG finished the year Saturday with a loss to Auxerre, bringing an acrimonious season to an end. The match was Fernandez's last as PSG coach. PSG is without a trophy since 1998, when it won the French Cup.


Bureau Report