Following several months of speculation all pointing to an eventual return to Brazil, Robinho signed a new contract with AC Milan after negotiations with his boyhood club Santos collapsed.
The 29-year-old Brazilian joined AC Milan in 2010 from Manchester City for an €18 million fee.
He signed a four-year contract, which has now been extended until 2016 with a wage-cut to his €4 million seasonal earnings.
Since arriving, Robinho has made 112 competitive appearances for the club scoring 27 goals with the same number of assists. But despite these statistics, the forward has been highly criticised, largely due to several squandered efforts in front of goal that should so easily have been scored.
His desire to return to Santos has alienated many supporters and forced the management into tedious negotiations with the Brazilian club. Now, with the tables turned, it’s time for AC Milan to look at what positives there are in keeping Robinho.
The most positive aspect to this contract extension is Robinho’s acceptance of a pay-cut. Had this not been the case, many fans would surely have been baying for blood as the Brazilian is one of Milan’s top earners. That said, it still doesn’t compare to receiving a seven figure transfer fee.
It is completely fair for supporters to question Robinho’s commitment to the club, as he would have clearly preferred the move to go through, but he has responded to the situation in a professional way and has complied with Milan’s wish to extend his contract.
On the surface, it would seem odd to commit someone in his situation to a long-term contract, but at the most basic level it was to prevent Robinho leaving on a ‘Bosman’ deal. Having paid all that money just three years ago, Milan would hope to recoup at least half of what they paid for the Samba star.
By reducing his wages, Robinho has improved his standing within the team and allowed the club to continue bringing the wage bill below €40m. The management was resigned to losing the Brazilian partly due to his huge wage package.
Reports even suggested a replacement had already been found in Fiorentina’s Adem Ljajic, who earns significantly less than Robinho. However, the chances of Ljajic arriving now that Robinho has extended his contract are unlikely; but far from impossible.
One other benefit of lowering his €4m wages is it makes it easier for the club to sign him. His move to Santos is thought to have crumbled having failed to agree personal terms, as Peixe couldn’t afford to pay him.
Whether this was due to Robinho’ demands, or that Santos simply couldn’t agree on a reasonable figure, we cannot possibly know. In the long run his decision to reduce his earnings will be of benefit, regardless of how soon Santos come knocking again.
From a performance point of view, Robinho is certainly worth keeping on reduced wages. He is a technically gifted player who cost €24 million when Real Madrid brought him to Europe. Though he may not demonstrate his wide arsenal of tricks and flicks as often as Ronaldinho did when he was at Milan, he still finds ways of using them productively.
His speed has been his forte as he weaves past defenders and evades tackles. At 29-years of age, he is Milan’s most experienced forward which makes him very handy in European competitions.
On top of this, he is certainly a major personality in the dressing room and can be levelheaded and engaging even after a poor game. In training he can often be seen laughing and joking with fellow squad members. Fans can say what they want about Robinho, but at Milanello he is much loved amongst the staff and players.
While many people condone the decision to keep Robinho, it’s important to remember his position within the team.
It doesn’t take an avid Milan fan to tell you the Brazilian is behind both Stephan El Shaarawy and Mario Balotelli in the pecking order.
In fact this has meant Robinho has predominantly played off the bench, with limited places available in the starting line-up.
This is likely to continue next season with the formation returning to 4-3-1-2, leaving only two positions available for forwards. A supporting role is not something he will necessarily like, but you can expect him to continue acting professionally and always be at the disposal of the coach.
Much criticism of AC Milan has come from them selling their big name stars, and while the very notion of Robinho being one of these star players may cause rapturous laughter, it is nonetheless true. Ever since Pele named the 15-year-old his heir, Robinho has become a brand and an extremely marketable one, too. Regardless of whether his on-field performances have consistency, he is still universally known in the footballing world.
In his first season with the club, Robinho notched 14 goals in Serie A; the same amount as Alexandre Pato and Zlatan Ibrahimovic. He scored what was a vital late goal against Brescia to win the game and effectively win Milan their 18th Scudetto.
In the 2011-12 season, he scored six times in Serie A, but created 14 goals. His contribution in the Champions League was far more noteworthy as he netted what were two important goals in a 4-0 victory over Arsenal. In those first two seasons he scored more than 10 goals in all competitions and created 21 goals for his teammates. It’s these kinds of statistics, that show why he’s worth keeping as a back-up.
If Milan want to get the best out of Robinho while he is still with the club, they should consider revising his role. Last season may have been a failure for the Brazilian in terms of goalscoring, but he was the club’s top assist-maker with six in all competitions.
His creative abilities are somewhat underrated as he is able to draw players in before releasing a teammate. When Milan were losing to Napoli 2-1 at the Stadio San Paolo last season , Robinho rose to the occasion as he played a superb ball through to El Shaarawy, who calmly tucked it past Morgan De Sanctis in goal.
His wealth of experience makes him ideally placed to supervise the Milan attackers and provide a creative spark late in the game. With Bojan Krkic out of the picture, Robinho is the only forward who is exclusively a second striker. Should the Rossoneri progress in the Champions League, it could be the little Brazilian who makes the difference when it really matters.
The benefits that come with keeping Robinho are not as insignificant as fans may think. Were he sold, it wouldn’t be easy to sign somebody with a similar skill set or experience without breaking the bank. His dedication to the cause makes it all the more worthwhile as he does add quality to the team as a whole. If Massimiliano Allegri can get him right, then Robinho can be a real asset for the club going forward, and even if he isn’t, he’s earning less and will eventually be sold.
The management was also at risk of damaging the harmony of the dressing-room had they sold him. Kevin Prince Boateng and Robinho are among the most charismatic members of the Milan squad and removing either of them could seriously harm the atmosphere at Milanello. When it comes to his goalscoring, Robinho is the same player he was when he joined, just lacking in confidence, and it will be up to the club to help rebuild it.
The Rossoneri paid a high price in bringing Robinho to the club, and may pay an even higher one in not selling him when they could. It will be up to the Brazilian to repay the fans and give the club their money’s worth.
Follow Louis Gibberd-Thomas on Twitter: @mercutio156
