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Palmeiras ends talks to sign Ronaldinho

By WTOP Staff

TALES AZZONI
AP Sports Writer

SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazilian club Palmeiras says it could not reach an agreement with former World Cup veteran Ronaldinho, ending its hopes of signing the player as part of its centennial celebrations Tuesday.

The club said on its official Twitter page that “negotiations between Palmeiras and Ronaldinho” ended after “the parts failed to reach a financial agreement.”

The 34-year-old Ronaldinho has been without a club since leaving Atletico Mineiro in July, and talks had been under way for him to sign with Palmeiras for the remainder of the Brazilian league season.

The two-time FIFA world player of the year has hinted he may join a Major League Soccer team in 2015, but until then his goal is to keep playing in Brazil.

Palmeiras, the Brazilian club with the most national titles, celebrated its 100th anniversary on Tuesday.

It was the third time that Palmeiras negotiated to sign Ronaldinho since the player returned to Brazil in 2011 after a successful career in Europe at clubs such as Barcelona and AC Milan.

Ronaldinho ended up joining Flamengo after his return, and a year later moved to Atletico Mineiro, which he led to its first Copa Libertadores title in 2013. That same year, Ronaldinho also helped the club win the traditional Minas Gerais state championship and the Recopa Sudamericana. He scored 28 goals in nearly 90 matches with the club.

Ronaldinho didn’t clearly explain why he decided to end his stint with Atletico Mineiro. Local media said he was expected to join a club either in Asia or in the Arab world, but no deal was reached.

Ronaldinho’s brother and agent, Roberto Assis, reportedly offered him to several Brazilian clubs in recent weeks, including Corinthians, Santos, Gremio and Fluminense, but all negotiations failed. There were also rumors that the player would join Besiktas in Turkey and Boca Juniors in Argentina.

Palmeiras officials said talks with Ronaldinho had advanced after the player didn’t accept the club’s initial offer, but the deal reportedly fell through because of disagreements on the benefits requested by the playmaker, including a high percentage of attendance money in matches he played.

Palmeiras recently became the first top Brazilian club to install a salary cap to contain costs, and president Paulo Nobre has always said the team will not pay high salaries anymore, no matter the player.

Had a deal been made, Ronaldinho was expected to wear the No. 100 in reference to the team’s centennial.

The fourth most-popular club in Brazil, Palmeiras has won 10 national titles — eight Brazilian championships and two Brazilian Cups, the last in 2012 with coach Luiz Felipe Scolari. Palmeiras is considered the first Brazilian team to win a club world title, in 1951. It was the only team able to rival Santos in the 1960s, and its squad represented Brazil in a friendly against Uruguay in 1965.

Palmeiras was demoted to the second division in 2002 and 2012. It is near relegation zone again this year after struggling since taking a chance on Argentine coach Ricardo Gareca in May, but it won its first league match under his command on Saturday.

The team is led by former World Cup champion Lucio and Chilean playmaker Jorge Valdivia. Gareca has brought in several Argentine players since taking over the team, including defender Fernando Tobio and forwards Jonathan Cristaldo, Agustin Allione and Pablo Mouche.

Palmeiras is expected to inaugurate its new 45,000-capacity arena in Sao Paulo in the next few weeks.

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Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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