We sell Kaka, get Amauri.

I don't know when the downfall of this club is going to end quite frankly.

Maybe we will never be the major outfit of the 90's again, the sad truth is currently Barca, Inter, United, Chelsea, Madrid are streets ahead of us and we have turned into a selling club over the last few years.

I don't give a **** about people who support Milan only because of Kaka.

Calcio Debate: Kaka To Madrid – Is Italian Football Now At Real Risk?

Kaka is almost certain to join Real Madrid from Milan, and Carlo Garganese now fears the worst for Serie A…

What has happened to Italian football? The modern game may be dominated by money and greed, but is Calcio on some kind of mission to rid itself of every big-name star? Since when has Italy become a selling country?

Serie A has flopped miserably in Europe over the past couple of seasons and, while there are numerous reasons why, there can be no denying that one of the major factors has been the inability to match the spending power of the Premier League, and the Spanish big two of Barcelona and Real Madrid.

Look around the superpowers of Serie A – Inter, Juventus and Milan – where are the household names? On Sunday, Italy lost three, albeit ageing, legends in Paolo Maldini, Luis Figo and Pavel Nedved. Kaka will almost definitely leave to move to Real Madrid, while the chances of Zlatan Ibrahimovic joining him in La Liga are 50-50.

How can Serie A expect to dominate Europe again by selling their best players? Milan have had their spine ripped from them in a matter of days. First their soul and central pillar in defence Maldini, then their coach Carlo Ancelotti, and now it seems their best player Kaka. The Rossoneri are a painfully old team. The only first team players who are young are Kaka, Pato and Mathieu Flamini. New trainer Leonardo surely should have built the new era around these three stars.

Granted, Kaka's recurring injury problems are a real worry (something that should concern Real Madrid fans too), and he is not the same player he was in 2007, but this is a risky transfer. If Milan were to actually spend all the €65m they receive for the Brazilian on three or four world class stars, then perhaps selling to Madrid is a wise move. If reported targets Philippe Mexes, Hernanes, and Emmanuel Adebayor all arrive, the Rossoneri will certainly be stronger.

But, will this happen? President Silvio Berlusconi has seemingly lost all interest in the team he took to greatness in the late 1980s and 1990s. Milan are in debt, as are virtually every club in Europe, but Berlusconi no longer wants to be the sugerdaddy who bails them out of trouble. Those who follow Italian politics will know that Silvio has far more important things to worry about right now. Who wants to bet that the confirmation of Kaka’s sale won’t arrive until next week because Berlusconi doesn’t want to risk harming his European election nomination?

With so many big, established names being exported, it seems that only youth can now save Serie A as they attempt to close the gap on the Premier League. The Italian league undoubtedly has the best crop of youngsters in European football. No other championship can boast of such potentially awesome talents like Pato, Mauro Zarate, Mario Balotelli, Davide Santon, Sebastian Giovinco, Ezequiel Lavezzi, Kwadwo Asamoah, Alexis Sanchez, Marco Motta, and Stevan Jovetic.

But will youth be enough? For starters, the top Italian clubs rarely trust players under the age of 23, and who is to say that once they are mature enough, they won’t be shipped off to England for extortionate amounts? Napoli star Lavezzi seems as if he could be on his way to Liverpool for €30m.

The problem is not all Italy’s. One can only admire their traditional values, and determination not to sell out to rich, foreign investors who are crushing the soul of the game. Can you imagine a Serie A where Milan are owned by a Russian, Juventus by an American, and Inter by a Sheikh? It is unthinkable.

Perhaps the clubs need to be a little tougher in rejecting offers for big-name stars. When a player wants to depart, as Ibrahimovic seems to crave, it is difficult to hold him against his will. However, when a player repeats time after time that he wishes to stay, declaring his love for the club at every opportunity, as Kaka has done with Milan, this is where the decision to sell becomes difficult to understand.

It remains to be seen how Milan use Kaka’s money (and Yoann Gourcuff’s for that matter) but if they merely use it to pay off a few debts, then Italian football fans really should start worrying about the future of Calcio.

Carlo Garganese, Goal.com

Report: Milan Fans Protest Kaka Transfer To Real Madrid
The Rossoneri faithful are making themselves heard in front of Milan headquarters...


With Kaka on the verge of completing a transfer to Real Madrid, approximately 30 Milan fans have gathered in front of the club's headquarters on Via Turati to protest the move, according to La Repubblica.

The gathered crowd are yelling in chorus against Milan vice president Adriano Galliani, who is believed to have been a main facilitator in the Brazilian's alleged transfer to the La Liga giants, having reportedly been in Madrid yesterday along with Kaka's agent/father.

Local police officers have been dispatched to monitor the situation, but thus far have kept their distance and have had no reason to interfere with the crowd.

According to various reports, the Rossoneri have been receiving protests since yesterday through the internet, their e-mail flooded with angry letters from fans who desperately want the Milanese giants to hold on to the former Ballon d'Or winner.

These scenes are reminiscent to this past January, when fans also were displeased with Kaka's potential mega-money move to English Premier League side Manchester City.

I wouldn't call it a downfall, the problem is people are not grasping how difficult it is competing against those said clubs without the resources they have available. Economically Milan has been very depended on Silvio for the past decade.

It is very easy to sit behind a computer and state your opinion, comparing, criticizing and bemoaning .. Without taking into consideration the financial stability of the club. Galliani has reiterated tons of times, that the situation in Italy is a handicap when paired to England or Spain, yet people think it is easy to skim through it and disregard it. When on the contrary, it is as real as it gets (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

Kaka, His Agent & Milan Have Agreed To World Record-Breaking Real Madrid Transfer - Sid Lowe


Madrid-based British journalist Sid Lowe has claimed that a deal is already in place which will see Kaka join Real Madrid from Milan for a world record-breaking fee this summer.

The Brazil international, it is claimed, could join los Blancos for a staggering €65 million (£56m), smashing the previous world record of €55m (£47.3m), held since 2001 when Zinedine Zidane moved from Juventus to the Santiago Bernabeu.

"The deal is in place," Lowe told Sky Sports News.

"There's an agreement between Real Madrid and AC Milan and of course between Real Madrid and the player, and perhaps just as importantly, Real Madrid and the father and agent, Bosco Leite, who was one of the stumbling blocks yesterday, because there was a bit of an argument over the size of his commission.

"What won't happen yet is for [the transfer] to be formally announced. AC Milan and Real Madrid have discussed this; they want it to be discussed at the back end of this week or early next week.

"It appears the figure is in the region of €64-65 million, although there are sources from the other side of the negotiations, with Chelsea trying to get involved, [suggesting] that the fee could actually be €9m-10m higher than that."

Asked how Florentino Perez might have progressed so well with the negotiations, Lowe replied, "In the first instance he has a very good relationship with [Milan vice president] Adriano Galliani.

"They met at at the offices of Florentino's company, ACS, in Madrid, and went through negotiations.

"During his last time at Real Madrid, [Perez] developed relationships with all the biggest clubs across Europe.

"The other factor is that he's running a club that players still want to go to, despite the fact Real Madrid have been slightly chaotic over the last five or six years."

Kaka recently released a statement affirming his desire to stay with the Rossoneri, but Lowe believes this was just a tactic to buy himself some breathing space.

"Nothing's really changed, what's changed is that we're now aware that Kaka was maybe trying to get himself peace," Lowe remarked.

"He didn't really care what he said, he just wanted to get people off his back.

"There was a very interesting comment from Jorge Valdano, the new director general of Real Madrid, saying, 'At this time of year, you have to be very, very careful what people say. Don't believe what people tell you, and by that I include myself as well.'"

Lowe also stated that the chances that Chelsea may steal in and take Kaka to Stamford Bridge are very slim.

"I think that's very unlikely," Lowe stated.

"My understanding is that not only are Real Madrid very confident the deal is almost done, but also privately that Chelsea have pretty much thrown in the towel.

"They believe that it's too late, they believe that Kaka wants to join Real Madrid not Chelsea, and they believe they won't get him.

"AC Milan are happy to sell, but they're not saying anything. Real Madrid are briefing that they think they've got him, and Chelsea are briefing that they haven't. Therefore, we have to assume that it's all done."

Lowe also stated that Kaka will not be the only Galactico to join los Merengues this summer.

"[Florentino Perez] will sign more players; he's very, very keen in adding more than one Galactico this year," Lowe said. "He wants to have two, maybe even three, and a series of Spanish stars as well. He's after David Villa and David Silva."

Asked where the funds will come from for the marquee signing, Lowe responded, "There isn't any money at Real Madrid. Most people are getting turned down [by the banks for money] but Real Madrid won't be."

Asked whether Cristiano Ronaldo will be on the list of potential signings, Lowe stated, "There's no doubt he will be.

"He's a player Real Madrid would like, he's a player Real Madrid believe would help them bring in the income they need. Florentino Perez believes that superstars are the best way to make money."

Lowe also revealed that he expects players to depart the Bernabeu this summer to raise transfer funds, most notably their clan of Dutch internationals.

"Even very good players, like Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben, are players Real Madrid would like to get rid of if they can find buyers," he explained.

Brazil Refuse Kaka Permission To Fly To Madrid Presentation

It seems more and more sources are confirming Kaka's move to Real Madrid, even though no official news has been announced.

The AC Milan and Brazilian maestro is currently on international duty with the Selecao, preparing to take on Uruguay and Paraguay on June 6 and 11, while his move to the Merengues is reportedly being completed.

Should official news come through in the near future, the national team will not allow Kaka to be presented immediately.

A spokesperson from the Brazil team told Sky Sport 24, "Kaka cannot go back to Europe for the presentation with Real."

Rodrigo Paiva, a press officer involved with the team, also confirmed this afternoon that whatever happens, he will not be leaving Brazil.

"It is already settled. No matter what happens, Kaka will not return to Europe in the middle of training to be presented...Kaka prefers to be relaxed until the situation is resolved. He will speak later," AS quote him as saying.

According to the latest reports from the Spanish and Italian press, the player has given his approval to the move and the clubs have agreed a fee of €65 million for the former Sao Paulo player.

Kaka joined Milan in 2003, and has had plenty of success with the Rossoneri, winning a Champions League trophy and a Scudetto, while personally taking home the Ballon d'Or.

AC MILAN, Berlusconi: "A lot of money is being offered to Kaka"

AC Milan owner Silvio Berlusconi said today: "I don't know if we will be able to keep Kaka anymore. One club in particular has offered him a lot of money. Anyway, I have not talked with Kaka, GM Galliani or our new coach Leonardo about this yet". " On Monday, I will talk with him and make a decision in favor of Milan's future. We have Ronaldinho who has played little because there were Kakà and Seedorf this season, so not all is lost."