Ronaldo agrees to join Corinthians

Brazilian striker Ronaldo has agreed to join Sao Paulo-based Corinthians after recovering from a serious knee-injury suffered last February.

"We've reached a verbal agreement for Ronaldo to play there (Corinthians)," his agent Fabiano Farah told Reuters by telephone on Tuesday.

The 32-year-old has agreed to join the club, who are one of Brazil's biggest and have just won promotion back to the first division at the first attempt, for the 2009 season.

Corinthians confirmed negotiations were at an advanced stage.

"In the next few hours, the two sides should provide the final formalities to close the deal and set a date for the presentation of the athlete," said a statement on the club's website (www.corinthians.com.br).

It will be the first time Ronaldo has played for a Brazilian club since leaving Cruzeiro, where he was developed, at the age of 17 to join PSV Eindhoven.

Ronaldo ruptured a tendon in his left knee in a Serie A game for AC Milan against Livorno in February and later left the Italian club.

Even before the injury, he had suffered from fitness and weight problems and has not played for Brazil since his much-criticised performance at the 2006 World Cup.

In April, he was famously involved in an incident with three transvestites in Rio de Janeiro, having gone to a motel with them believing they were call girls.

In October, Ronaldo said he had put on so much weight following his injury that he was running out of clothes.

Ronaldo had been training with Rio de Janeiro-based Flamengo, who were seen as favourites in the race to sign him.

Last month, he told Italy's Gazzetta dello Sport his rehabilitation had been tough and he was not sure he would continue playing.