Santos plan to sign Robinho for centenary year

Santos president Luis Alvaro de Oliveira Ribeiro has revealed the club's ambitious plans for their centenary celebrations, as they prepare to offer Robinho the chance to return to his first side on a one-year loan. The Brazilian giants celebrate their 100th birthday on April 12, 2012, and the AC Milan forward has emerged as the big name that Ribeiro wants back in Vila Belmiro to mark the momentous anniversary. It would be the former Manchester City and Real Madrid man's third spell at Santos, after his original departure for Spain in 2005 was followed by a return on loan during 2010. The Peixe chief admitted on Thursday that he is already looking into the possibility of another short-term switch, and signalled that the most likely scenario was for the striker to sign a one-year extension with Milan - leaving his contract to run until 2015 - to facilitate the deal. "This [Milan extension] is one of the few paths which could make the negotiation viable. Milan would not be losing out, as Robinho still has an entire career ahead of him. This way the player would have a fair and deserved homage to him, participating in the centenary of a history he helped to build," Ribeiro explained to Globoesporte. "It is difficult, but not impossible. We are focused on the Club World Cup, but afterwards we will go back to trying to make this happen." Whether or not Milan would be prepared to release their forward is unclear, but according to the president Robinho himself is keen to make a return. "I asked Robinho when he would return. He answered that, if it was up to him, he would be here for the centenary," Ribeiro claimed. "Of course this doesn't just depend on him or me, permission from Milan is essential." Robinho enjoyed a successful spell last year in a Santos shirt, lifting both the Paulista Championship and the Copa do Brasil alongside Neymar, Ganso, Wesley and Andre - in a team dubbed the 'Santasticos'.