AC Milan star Kaka’s future remained unresolved yesterday amid reports that he could be on his way to Real Madrid in a 65 million euro (US$92 million) deal.
Milan vice president Adriano Galliani was in Madrid on Tuesday night to finalize the deal, along with Kaka’s father-manager Bosco Leite, Italian sports dailies La Gazzetta dello Sport and Corriere dello Sport reported yesterday.
After four hours of meetings with Madrid president Florentino Perez, a deal was reached under which Kaka would get 9.5 million euros a season for five years, Gazzetta said.
However, there has been no official confirmation from the clubs. Milan said on its Web site that Galliani was only in Madrid because he had been previously invited to attend a dinner honoring Perez. Madrid said it had nothing to announce.
There were also reports in the British media that Chelsea was trying to “hijack” Kaka’s move to Madrid with a late offer for the 2007 world player of the year. Kaka’s coach at Milan, Carlo Ancelotti, was on Monday appointed as Chelsea’s new manager.
Kaka flew home on Monday to Brazil to join the national team for World Cup qualifiers and the Confederations Cup.
Before leaving, however, he insisted he was happy in Milan.
“I want to stay with Milan and from today this issue is over,” Kaka said in Gazzetta on Tuesday. “I will say it for the last time, the last time. I don’t want to leave Milan.”
But Milan owner Premier Silvio Berlusconi conceded he didn’t think he could keep the Brazilian midfielder.
“I don’t think we can keep him back because they’re offering so much money,” he said on Tuesday.
Kaka was also the subject of a failed record bid by Manchester City in January that would have made him the best-paid player in soccer, but he turned down the move saying he chose Milan over money.
New Madrid coach Manuel Pellegrini said this week he planned to bring in new players to revitalize the club which finished second in the league behind Barcelona.
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