Pro Eleven Headline News
Real Madrid complete deal for £56m Kaka?
The future of Brazilian midfielder Kaka was shrouded in mystery on Tuesday night after Spanish radio station Cadena Ser reported he had joined Real Madrid for £56m - only for the player's spokesman and AC Milan to both deny any deal had been agreed.
Real are set to go on a spending spree following the return of Florentino Perez as the club's president. Despite Kaka not wishing to leave AC Milan it is believed the offer was too good to turn down and, unlike with Manchester City in January, it seems unlikely the player will reject the move.
The fee would represent a new world record, surpassing the £46m Real paid to Juventus for Zinedine Zidane in 2001. It would also mean Real hold the three highest fees paid, with the £37m for Luis Figo from Barcelona in 2000 completing the set.
The radio station reported a fee of €65million (£56million) which had been confirmed by Kaka's father and agent, Bosco Leite.
But in a statement released on the club's official website, Milan insisted Galliani had only travelled to Madrid to attend a dinner for Perez.
The statement read: "The general manager of the Rosseneri, Adriano Galliani, is in the city of Madrid exclusively for the investiture dinner of Florentino Perez, the new president of Real Madrid.''
And Kaka's spokeman, Diogo Kotscho, said on Tuesday evening: "Kaka will listen to Real and decide whether or not to make the transfer.
"What I can say for certain is that the Spaniards and Milan have not reached any agreement."
Milan owner Silvio Berlusconi said it would be difficult to keep hold of their star man: "I don't know if we will be able to keep Kaka at Milan because they offer him so much money."
Kaka has repeatedly said he does not want to play his football away from the San Siro. "I'll say it for the last time. The last time. I don't want to leave Milan,'' he told Gazzetta dello Sport. "In this period I prefer to remain silent because I don't want to be misunderstood. Or, worse still, to be used.
"To the millions of Milan supporters, I say that I have made my choice. I have said what I want to stay. Leave me in peace, please.''
AC Milan are set for a major rebuilding exercise following the departure of long-term boss Carlo Ancelotti and the appointment of Leonardo. Milan know they need funds for their new coach to play with and cashing in on the 27-year-old attacking midfielder is seen as one way of providing that.
It also seems to bring to an end speculation that Kaka will be reunited with Ancelotti at Chelsea.
But it will not end the rumours over Cristiano Ronaldo after Perez lavished praise on the player earlier on Tuesday. It is believed that Perez sees Kaka and Ronaldo as the two perfect signings for his new tenure at the Bernabeu. ESPN
