Rivaldo says he will stay at Barca until 2003

FC Barcelona star Rivaldo has told Brazilian journalists that he will stay at the Spanish champions until his contract ends in 2003.

The player was dropped last week by Barca coach Loius van Gaal and was immediatley linked with a $64 million move to SS Lazio with Manchester United, Internazionale and Parma AC all monitoring the mood of the Catalan club as they responded to the argument between star player and their Dutch coach. Rivaldo had wanted to move to a central position from the left and van Gaal met the request by dropping the player from his squad.

Manchester United and SS Lazio were especially keen to do business with United having a £30 million bid turned down for the player last August and Lazio coach Sven Goran Erikkson lavishly praising the Brazilian at a La Formello press call yesterday as he outlined his plans for the player.

Rivaldo is on holiday for the seasonal break with relatives in Recife North East Brazil and told reporters that he had received no offers from any club and that any negotiations had taken place only with FC Barcelona officials and not with him or his agents.

SS Lazio president Sergio Cragnotti has been claiming that Rivaldo was in talks for the past four weeks with the Serie A leaders but Rivaldo says he is "happy and satisfied" at Barca and wanted to remain at the club until 2003.

Things will change though if the Barca board decide to off load the new European Footballer of the Year with several Italian clubs and Manchester United still stirred by thoughts of signing the star after his recent argument with Louis van Gaal.