Kaka completes AC Milan return

Image
AFP Rome
Last Updated : Sep 02 2013 | 4:00 PM IST
Brazilian midfielder Kaka has completed a return to AC Milan on a two-year contract after the Serie A side agreed a deal with Real Madrid, the Italian club confirmed today.
"Done deal", Milan's managing director Adriano Galliani announced on the club's website, with Milan adding that discussions ran until "between 0230 and 0300 CET in the morning (on Monday)".
According to the Italian press, Real allowed the 31-year-old to return to his former club on a free transfer, having paid 65 million euros to bring Kaka to Madrid in 2009.
The Brazilian was also said to have taken a significant pay cut to facilitate his move to the San Siro, accepting an annual salary of four million euros plus bonuses, a considerable reduction from the 10 million euros a year he received in Madrid.
"I'm going home!", the player told journalists at a Madrid airport before boarding a flight to Milan, where he is expected to land shortly after Monday lunchtime.
"I'm very happy, the talks took a long time. I want to thank the fans and my teammates for their support," added Kaka.
Kaka's first spell at the Rossoneri, from 2003 to 2009, coincided with his rise to prominence that culminated in him winning the 2007 Ballon d'Or after leading Milan to the Champions League title that year.
Kaka, who has scored 29 goals in 87 appearances for his country, last week made a public plea to be able to leave the Spanish giants as he looks towards cementing a place in the Brazilian national side ahead of next year's World Cup.
Coach Massimiliano Allegri on Friday praised the Brazilian's attributes and said he had "faith" a deal could be struck for Kaka.
"Kaka would strengthen us. He's versatile, and his technical attributes would be a big plus to the team," said Allegri.
"We still have two and a half days till the end of the transfer window and the club is working on it. I have faith."
Milan's push to bolster their squad before Monday's transfer deadline comes days after they qualified for the group stages of the Champions League.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Sep 02 2013 | 4:00 PM IST

Next Story