London, June 28: Brazil and Paris St Germain striker Ronaldinho could be a Manchester United player by as early as next week - if the clubs can agree on the finer details of what is believed will be an 11 million pound deal (18 million dollars).
World Cup winner Ronaldinho has a contract with the French club until 2006 and while PSG and their new coach Vahid Halilhodzic are keen to hang on to the flashy forward the club's precarious financial position may force their hand.
Ronaldinho's brother and agent Roberto Assis held talks with United chief executive Peter Kenyon yesterday and emerged confident of a deal being struck.
"There will be a completion one way or another next week," confirmed Roberto Assis. "Peter Kenyon and the PSG president Frances Graille had a meeting to discuss the transfer and things are looking good. They are going to continue talks over the next few days."
United manager Alex Ferguson seems determined not to retire until he takes United back to the brink of European glory and the wily Scot sees 23-year-old Ronaldinho – whose freak goal sent England crashing out of last year's World Cup - as a key player in that plan.



United are keen to stress no fee has been agreed and delicate contract talks with Ronaldinho will still have to be held.



However PSG's delicate financial state means they may have no option but to sanction the departure of Ronaldihno - who has also attracted interest from Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid.


Bureau Report