Matt Oldfield


The dust had barely settled on Florentino Perez’s new desk at the Bernabeu before former FIFA World Player of the Year Kaka completed his €65M move from Italian club AC Milan to Spanish giants Real Madrid. Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite has been signed on a six-year contract following a successful medical, but will not be unveiled until the end of the month when he returns from international duty with Brazil at the Confederations Cup.

Due to fluctuating exchange rates, Kaka’s transfer became the world’s most expensive transfer in British pounds and US dollars, but not in Euros, where Zidane’s transfer to Real Madrid in 2001 was still top at €73M. Top that is until Manchester United agreed a fee of €93M for Cristiano Ronaldo. The imminent arrival of Ronaldo at Real Madrid though should not take away attention from the Kaka deal, how it came about and the key factors in an earth-shattering transfer.

Money of course played a huge role in the deal, but not for Kaka personally. As AC Milan chief executive Adriano Galliani has said, “Kaka has behaved very professionally with us, he has never asked for his deal to be revised…But we can’t afford to miss out on $100M.” The Italian giants are in financial trouble and Kaka knew that he would have to be sacrificed; “I wanted to stay but the world crisis affected my decision”, he told the media.

The Brazilian was nearly forced out in the January transfer window, when newly-rich Manchester City offered £100M for him. AC Milan were keen to accept the offer but the 27 year-old refused to take a step down, despite being offered wages of more than £250,000 a week. Allegedly Kaka told Milan officials at that point, “either I go to Real Madrid, or I stay here at the San Siro.” It was therefore up to the Spanish club to make an appropriate offer; even Chelsea could not lure Kaka away from his beloved AC Milan. 

Money has also been important from a Real Madrid perspective. With the return of Florentino Perez as club president, Madrid have been more ambitious than normal in the transfer market this summer. The world financial crisis does not seem to have affected the buying power of the Spaniards. Kaka is the player that former president Ramon Calderon promised but failed to sign in 2006. The arrival of the Brazilian therefore represents a clear attempt to return to more successful times, a real statement of intent.

Perez, of course is the man that brought Zidane, Beckham, Figo and Ronaldo to the Bernabeu during his last stint as president. As well as the Brazilian, Perez and his new advisor Zinedine Zidane are also hoping to sign, Franck Ribery, David Villa and Xabi Alonso, now that Kaka and Cristiano Ronaldo are in the bag. Perez wanted big names for his new-look team and there are few bigger than Kaka. The aim is a return to the ‘galacticos’ era after several years of European mediocrity. Real Madrid must challenge domestically and internationally, and money appears to be no issue to the Spanish giants.


*ORIGINAL* Atletico Madrid 00/01       Brazil 08/09 Training Shirt

Atletico Madrid 00/01 home shirt                         Brasil 08/09 training shirt, blue


From a personal perspective, Kaka has made it very clear that he sees the move as a positive step forward. He told the Spanish media, “It’s an important project for me to continue growing my career.” The ambition of Perez and Zidane in particular has seemingly impressed the Brazilian. “The president is already making contact with potential signings and is putting together a competitive team, one which will try to once again become champions in Spain and Europe”, he told the media excitedly.

Whereas Manchester City would have been a step backwards, Kaka sees Real Madrid as a progression of his wonderful career. In many ways, it is the perfect time for the Brazilian to move on. At 27, he is approaching his peak and after six seasons at the San Siro, needs a new challenge. He scored 95 goals in 270 games for Milan, winning the Serie A and the UEFA Champions League titles, as well as the Italian Super Cup, the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup. In 2007, Kaka was named FIFA World Player of the Year. What was there left to achieve in Italy? As the player has said himself, “I’ve won everything that I wanted as a player and this is a new motivation for me.”

Kaka is said to have discussed the move carefully with Milan and former Real Madrid star David Beckham, who agreed that it was the best move for the Brazilian and his career.

Although Kaka has left Milan on good terms, the club’s treatment of him this year must have encouraged him to leave. He has been all-but forced out in order to raise funds. As Milan team-mate Andrea Pirlo put it, “Ricardo was right to say this hasn’t been his decision.” With the Brazilian still trying to decide on his future the week before the deal happened, club patron and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi held talks with him to prompt him in the right direction – the Bernabeu. Another factor in Kaka’s departure was certainly the departure of manager and father-figure Carlo Ancelotti to Chelsea. With everything changing at the San Siro, the Brazilian clearly felt it was the right time to go.

The departure of Kaka leaves a massive gap at AC Milan, which they will struggle to fill, even with the transfer money such a move will bring in. If, as rumours suggest, players such as Alex Pato and Andrea Pirlo follow their former manager to Chelsea, the Italian giants could be left in turmoil. Playing in an elderly side desperately needing youthful vigour, Kaka always provided that crucial, energetic spark. Without him, hard times may lie ahead for Milan.

Real Madrid, on the other hand, have significantly strengthened their overly-mediocre midfield. Kaka will join Dutch quartet Sneijder, van der Vaart, Robben, Drenthe, along with fellow newboy Cristiano Ronaldo in attacking midfield roles, playing behind Raúl, Saviola, Higuaín, van Nistelrooy and Huntelaar. That is what awaits him at Real Madrid at the moment, however, with Florentino Perez in the middle of forming his “dream team”, it is likely Kaka will be joined on his first day at the Bernabeu by a rather large new intake.

Things are looking very exciting at the Bernabeu right now; it is easy to understand why Kaka would want to be a part of it. Barcelona and the rest of Europe be warned.

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