Santos coach Muricy Ramalho has admitted that his club would be unlikely to match Florent Malouda's wage demands.
The French winger, who is a free agent, has been widely tipped to join a club in the Brazilian league.
Despite admitting that he would be interested in the former Chelsea midfielder, Ramalho has confessed to being "scared" by the financial requirements of the 32-year-old.
"Malouda was offered to us," he told reporters. "He is a very interesting player, but you get scared when they tell your their demands.
"They say they are in crisis in Europe, but they spend so much money on transfers there. He was offered to us, but when you think about his wages, it gets hard.
"He is a very good player, an old-school midfielder who can hold the ball and set the tone in attack."
Malouda spent seven years at Stamford Bridge.
