Rio de Janeiro, Dec 27 (IANS): Newly promoted Brazilian club Palmeirashave expressed their interest in signing Ronaldinho.

The 33-year-old playmaker is out of contact with Campeonato Brasileiro rivals Atletico Mineiro and has been non-committal about his future in recent interviews, reported Xinhua.

Palmeiras, promoted to Brazil's top-flight after winning the Serie B championship last month, are understood to be seeking a commercial sponsor to bankroll the deal.

"Every club is talking about Ronaldinho because he is such a great player," Palmeiras' executive director Jose Carlos Brunoro told Radio Globo Thursday.

"Of course he interests us, but we are a long way from signing him at this stage. If he is still available in January, we can start thinking about it."

Last week the two-time FIFA world player of the year said his brother and agent, Roberto Assis, would discuss the World Cup winner's future with Atletico officials in the coming days.

Palmeiras would need to meet Ronaldinho's monthly salary demands of $380,000 in addition to image rights.

"We think that he pays for himself through marketing, but we want to be sure before we make any deal with any player," Brunoro said. "There has to be no doubt that everything will be paid for."