Will Chelsea, Manchester City or Blackburn win the nine-club chase for Real Madrid’s Kaka?

March 3, 2011

By Stefan Coerts

3 Mar 2011 10:10:00

Teams

Players

A number of recent reports from Spain suggest that Real Madrid are willing to listen to offers for Kaka at the end of the season, and the attacking midfielder has since been linked with a host of clubs.

The Brazilian superstar arrived at the Santiago Bernabeu in 2009 amidst a blaze of glory, as part of president Florentino Perez’s multi-million investment, but a combination of poor performances and injury concerns have hampered his progress in the capital.

The 28-year-old has a decision to make in the summer transfer window – he could stay with Madrid and attempt to recapture his best form, but he could also opt to move on, as clubs from Brazil, England, Italy and Russia closely monitor his situation.

With the playmaker’s future under intense speculation, Goal.com lines up the options of the former AC Milan star has…

AC Milan	The Brazilian international kick-started his European career in Serie A and AC Milan still have an important place in Kaka’s heart. Vice-president Adriano Galliani recently revealed that they aren’t thinking about luring Kaka back to San Siro at the moment, but there’s little doubt that they would be delighted to see their hero return to the club.
Inter	Italian titleholders Inter are another option for Kaka if he decided to return to the Peninsula. President Massimo Moratti has already stated that they are monitoring the midfielder’s situation at Madrid, and bringing the former AC Milan star to Inter would be a huge coup. Nevertheless, it appears to be unlikely that Kaka would join the arch rivals of the club he loves most.
Roma	It seems unlikely that Roma have the financial resources to lure Kaka away from his current club, but things could change in the Italian capital in the near future. They’re expected to get a financial boost after the imminent takeover and could very well launch an offer for the playmaker. The possible appointment of Carlo Ancelotti could be a reason for Kaka to join Roma.
Manchester City	Manchester City were ready to pay around £85 million for the Brazil international before he eventually decided to leave AC Milan for Madrid. City haven’t given up on him, though, and continue to monitor his situation. They currently lack a natural attacking midfielder in their squad and Kaka could add that little extra to the team that City need to fight for the Premier League title.
Chelsea	Another club that have been after the services of the attacking midfielder for quite a while are Chelsea. The London giants are eager to add some more creativity to their squad and they consider Kaka to be the perfect signing. The presence of Brazilians like David Luiz and Ramires could be helpful in Chelsea’s attempts to get their man.
Blackburn Rovers	What are Blackburn Rovers doing in a list of possible destinations for a star like Kaka? The answer is quite simple – Blackburn are determined to lure a number of high profile names to the club this summer, preferably of Brazilian origin. Signing Kaka appears to be almost impossible for Rovers, but they could well give it a try if the midfielder becomes available.
Real Madrid	Even though coach Jose Mourinho seems to prefer Germany international Mesut Oezil as his attacking midfielder, Kaka could still decide to stay at Santiago Bernabeu. The former AC Milan hero will get plenty of playing time if he stays put, even though he won’t always be part of the starting XI. It remains to be seen, though, whether Kaka is ready to settle for status as a squad player.
Rubin Kazan	A report earlier this week suggested that Rubin were ready to make a £38m offer for Kaka, though a spokesperson for Kazan denied the rumour later. Money won’t be a problem for the Russians, but it appears to be very unlikely that Kaka will leave his current club to embark upon a Russian adventure.
Corinthians	Corinthians have managed to lure star players such as Ronaldo and Roberto Carlos back to Brazil in recent years and they’re eager to add another high profile name to their squad. Nevertheless, it remains to be seen whether Kaka is willing to return to South America just yet. Additionally, a return to his boyhood club Sao Paulo seems more realistic.
Sao Paulo	Sao Paulo is the club where it all started for Kaka before he rose to prominence in Europe, and the attacker is widely expected to return to them eventually. However, he may feel it is too soon to return to his native country, as he still has some good years in Europe left in him.