Scout Ernesto Bronzetti claimed Barcelona could have received a far bigger fee for Ronaldinho had they sold him earlier.

Ronaldinho finally completed his long-awaited switch to the Serie A giants on Thursday, after Milan splashed out US$33 million on the Brazil star.

But Milan scout Bronzetti told Italian magazine TV Sorrisi e Canzoni: "Ronaldinho has always been (Silvio) Berlusconi's dream.

"Two years ago he offered Barca 60million (US$95 million) for Ronaldinho and they refused it."

Bronzetti often deals with big transfers between Spanish and Italian clubs, but he claims the Ronaldinho deal was his hardest one, admitting that it almost did not go through.

"It was my most difficult deal," he continued. "He is the fifth player to have won the European footballer of the year that I have helped move to Italy after Hristo Stoichkov, Rivaldo, Luis Figo and Ronaldo.

"Barcelona had decided to sell Ronaldinho to Manchester City for US$50 million euros rather than the US$31 million the Rossoneri were offering, giving (Samuel) Eto'o to Milan instead.

"But in the end everything went along the right route."

Bronzetti also added that Ronaldinho opted for the Rossoneri over City, despite the Premier League's club offer of a better pay packet, because "for him what mattered was Milan's history, the badge and everything that involves".