No price-cut for Kleberson

By Matthew Jones
January 25 2003

Newcastle United have been warned that they will not get Kleberson cheaply as talks with Atletico Paranaense have broken down. The 23-year-old defending midfielder was called a "veteran" by Scolari and isn't going to be sold for less than his valuation - thought to be over £3,000,000.

Newcastle have been warned that Atletico Paranaense will not release Kleberson on the cheap as the Brazilian outfit claimed talks between the two clubs had broken down.

Atletico Paranaense president Mario Celso Petraglia admitted how the clubs were far apart in their valuation of the midfielder.

Sir Bobby Robson has admitted the Magpies have made "preliminary investigations" into the possibility of bringing the 23-year-old to St James' Park.

Petraglia claimed that Newcastle had already made an offer for the player, but it did not take him long to dismiss that tentative bid.

"Some Newcastle representatives came to visit us, but they made such a short offer that the meeting didn't last long. They quickly returned to England," said Petraglia.

He insisted that Atletico do not need to sell and would hold out for an offer matching his own valuation, thought to be over £3million.

Kleberson was given a chance to play for the national team in the first game of 2002 and left a great impression on Brazilian coach Luiz Felipe Scolari. The 23-year-old defending midfielder was even called a "veteran" by Scolari.