Santos tells Robinho to respect contract
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-07-05 09:45

Santos told Robinho to respect his contract on Monday after the Brazil forward said he could not understand why they would not accept a $25million offer for him from Real Madrid.

The 21-year-old, rated as one of the world's most exciting players, became bogged down in controversy last Wednesday after an interview at the Confederations Cup when he bade farewell to Santos fans and said he wanted to play for the Spanish team.

Santos president Marcelo Teixeira replied that Robinho had a contract until 2008 and any club wanting to buy him beforehand would have to pay a $50million penalty.

A furious Teixeira also accused Real of behaving unethically by approaching Robinho without the club's permission.

On Monday, Robinho said his mind was already in Spain but the club replied they would only consider letting him leave after the 2006 World Cup.

'Santos expect Robinho to report for training on Tuesday at 1600,' said the Brazilian champions in a statement on their official website.

'In order to avoid speculation and controversy over whether he will stay at the club, Marcelo Teixeira reiterated the position of Santos, which is to let him go after the 2006 World Cup as he has been included in the planning for the team for the next championships.

'Santos know Robinho's character and believe he is being badly orientated by people who have a financial interest in the deal being concluded.

'Robinho knows that Santos is the club which put him on the world stage and give him everything he needs to develop his game.'

ORDERS DEFIED

Earlier, Robinho had told a news conference: 'I don't know if I'm going to play for Santos again. But at the moment, I'm not in the right frame of mind to play in Brazil.

'It's difficult to say that I don't want to play for Santos any more, but that's how life goes.'

Robinho, who burst on to the scene in 2002 when he helped Pele's former club win their first Brazilian championship, said Teixeira had promised he could leave the club after this year's Libertadores Cup campaign.

Santos's participation in the competition ended last month when they lost 5-2 on aggregate to Atletico Paranaense in the quarter-finals after Robinho missed the second leg because of the Confederations Cup.

'In October last year, when PSV (Eindhoven) and Benfica were interested in me, the president told me that he would let me go after the Libertadores for 10 million Euros ($11.92 million),' said Robinho.

'Real Madrid are offering $25 million and he doesn't want to let me go. I hope he keeps his promise.'

Robinho defied orders by missing Santos training on Friday and Saturday and was left out of the team for Sunday's Brazilian championship match at home to Juventude.

'I'm not indisciplined and I don't have any privileges within the squad,' Robinho said.

'My mind is at Real Madrid and there's no reason to train when my mind is with Real. I would get in the way of the coach (Gallo).'

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