Adriano not returning to Brazil, says agent

By Vince Masiello, Special to SI.com, Goal.com

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Adriano's representative Gilmar Rinaldi has refuted reports suggesting that the under-fire striker will return to his homeland.

The former Fiorentina and Parma hitman came back this past summer from a six-month loan spell with Brazilian side Sao Paolo.

He was loaned out last December following a row with then Inter Milan boss Roberto Mancini, but it was hoped that the new reign of Portuguese boss José Mourinho would revitalize his career at the San Siro.

However, after a positive start to the campaign, Adri's wild lifestyle has got the better of him again and he has been duly frozen out of the squad by the Special One.

It seems that his divorce from the Beneamata will be inevitable, either in January or at the end of this season, and the 26-year-old has been linked with several teams in recent weeks, including Palermo.

However, the Italian media has also claimed that he has set his heart on a return to Brazil to join Rio de Janeiro club Fluminense, which has allegedly approached the player, currently on international duty with the Selecao.

"This is plain ridiculous," bellowed his agent Rinaldi on Wednesday morning, "he arrived late in Rio, got stuck in traffic and he also needed a private jet to meet up with his teammates. We are constantly in contact and nothing happened [with Fluminense]. There is no chance he will go back to Brazil."