Kaka is on the verge of leaving Spanish champion Real Madrid. The playmaker is ready for a fresh start in either Spain or England after three seasons at the Santiago Bernabeu, according to talkSPORT.
“Kaka has decided to quit Madrid,” Sao Paulo President Paulo de Jesus Lopes reportedly told O Globo. “He believes that England or remaining in Spain would be two interesting destinations for him. Sao Paulo can’t afford him as his price tag is astronomical and out of the reality of Brazilian football.”
The attacking midfielder’s availability will surely pique the interest of major clubs in both countries.
Madrid’s preference would probably be to see Kaka leave the country rather than head to one of its competitors. After factoring in the sizable transfer fee and hefty wages he would command, his most likely English destinations are star-studded Manchester City, European champion Chelsea, and Manchester United.
However, his extensive injury history makes it hard to imagine the Brazilian moving to the English Premier League and its accompanying premiums on athleticism and physicality.
A more suitable option — though one Madrid may want to avoid — would be Spanish club Malaga. The oil-rich side has Champions League soccer on offer for next season, and a highly ambitious project that has already recruited the likes of Santi Cazorla and Jeremy Toulalan. Even further, the club could offer the Twitter king a guaranteed place in the starting 11, as it presently lacks a true central playmaker.
A legend for AC Milan where he won a slew of awards — including a Ballon d’Or and Champions League double in 2007 — Kaka joined Madrid in a massive £54 million ($84 million) deal in 2009. His first two years at the club were decimated by injury and saw German midfielder Mesut Ozil take over his position within the team. This past season was Kaka’s best to date in the Spanish capital, tallying eight goals and 14 assists in 39 appearances.
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