[misha]

Milan’s Brazilian ace Kaka has beaten Francesco Totti to win the title of calcio’s top earner and the Rossoneri have Serie A’s biggest wage bill.

According to research printed in La Gazzetta dello Sport, Kaka’s annual salary of £4m is unmatched in the peninsula with Totti’s £3.7m haul his closest rival.

Inter trio Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Patrick Vieira and the troubled Adriano are all trailing behind with a modest £3.4m alongside Azzurri goalkeeper Gigi Buffon at Juventus.

Nerazzurri new boy Cristian Chivu is the biggest winner of the summer as his new deal will net him £2.3m, narrowly more than Milan’s Emerson and fellow Beneamata newcomer David Suazo.

While Milan and Inter’s wage bills are almost equal - £80m and £74m respectively – and Juventus are paying £66m, Roma are the most shrewd giants with just £40m to their name.

City rivals Lazio are also unexpectedly frugal with just £12m spent annually, while Cagliari have the tightest hold on the purse strings as they pay just £7.5m per year – less than it would cost to employ just Kaka and Totti.

[agenth]

Player/Position/Wage (millions, €)/Expiry

Kakà c 6 2011
Dida p 4 2011
Kaladze d 4 2011
Nesta d 4 2011
Gattuso c 4 2011
Seedorf c 4 2011
Pirlo c 4 2011
Inzaghi F. a 4 2010
Ronaldo a 4 2008
Ambrosini c 3,5 2010
Gilardino a 3,5 2011
Emerson c 3,2 2009
Jankulovski d 3 2010
Maldini d 2 2008
Favalli d 2 2009
Bonera d 2 2011
Serginho d 2 2008
Oddo d 2 2011
Cafu d 2 2008
Pato a 2 2012
Simic d 1,8 2009
Brocchi c 1,5 2009
Kalac p 1 2009
Digao d 1 2011
Gourcuff c 1 2011

Favilli earning 2m LOL
kaladze is certainly overpaid...