Is Kaka on his way back to AC Milan?
Berlusconi's willingness to leave the door open for Kaka could mean redemption for the Brazilian who has endured tough times at Real Madrid
The love affair between Kaka and Milan which has continued even after the Brazilian’s departure from the San Siro is something that has always captured the imagination of football fanatics around the world. It was in the Rossoneri shirt that Kaka, considered then to be the best footballer on the planet, helped tear teams apart and lead Milan to two Champions League finals, winning one of them in the process. With Kaka in his element, Milan under Carlo Ancelotti were unstoppable as they steamrolled past the best teams in Europe, thus earning the tag of The Dream Team. Loved by the fans and hailed as their Golden Boy, Kaka vowed to “grow old at Milan and captain the team one day”. Alas, Milan’s financial trouble meant the end of such dreams as the Brazilian begrudgingly agreed to a 68.5 million euros transfer to Real Madrid, thus bringing to an end his association with the club where he reached dizzying heights of fame.
Unfortunately for the player, injuries and poor form seldom allowed him to settle at the self-proclaimed best club in the world, thus giving rise to constant rumours about his return to the San Siro and a chance at redemption. The pressure to perform in front of the Madridista who are not known for their patience and the huge price tag attached to his name have not really sat down well with the player who has looked unhappy and a pale shadow of his past self in his two years at the Bernabeu. Ever since his first season which ended a failure at the Bernabeu due to his lengthy lay-off, the rumours of his return to Milan have been gathering momentum, for Kaka has never hid the fact that he still has Milan in his heart. When the Rossoneri celebrated the Scudetto during the weekend, Kaka joined in the celebrations by texting Vice President Adriano Galliani, ”Compliments doctor, we are the champions of Italy.”
Today, Milan supremo Silvio Berlusconi gave life to the rumours of a possible return by issuing a statement saying,
“If Kaka wants to come back to Milan we will welcome him with open arms”.
The announcement by the Italian Prime Minister has sent fans of the club and the player into raptures. With the world going into a collective frenzy over what the implications of the move could be, let us analyse why the move could materialize and why it could work out for both parties.
MILAN REBUILDING MISSION
The dust has barely settled on AC Milan’s 18th Scudetto but it is obvious that the Rossoneri are not going to rest on their laurels and have begun planning for the future. Philippe Mexes and Taye Taiwo have already been signed in order to re-shape the squad for next year. This was the year when Milan won the Scudetto comfortably with two games to spare, but came up a cropper in Europe against newbies Tottenham Hotspur and also crashed out of the Coppa Italia against Palermo, thus giving rise to the argument that it was the failure of their rivals that made Milan Champions of Italy by default. After all, the current Milan team has been considered the least charming of the ones that have won the Scudetto, one which has relied on efficiency and good squad rotation, while it has been rivals Inter who who have won the plaudits for attacking football. With Andrea Pirlo and Clarence Seedorf in the twilight of their careers after having led the charge on the creative front for long, Milan have desperately missed a trequartista who can slice open the best defences in the world and send fans into raptures with his visionary passing since the departure of Kaka.
Kevin-Prince Boateng now plays as trequartista but is more of a workhorse who can produce surging runs but is not amongst the best creative players in the world. Seedorf stepped up to the plate in the second half of the season, but can no longer be relied upon for a full campaign, especially if Milan have plans for Europe. Several of the old horses are about to see their contracts come to an end and the situation at Milan is such that there are not going to be many renewals, considering that Galliani is looking to build a new look Milan side. A deal for 21 year old Brazilian sensation Ganso has already been lined up and is all set to go through. The Santos man is a fabulous playmaker whose passing skills have wowed scouts worldwide and could be the man who can lead Milan to glory in the future. But if Milan are looking for immediate success in Europe, Kaka is the go-to man. 29 years old and still in the prime of his youth, Kaka has shown in recent performances that his magic is not lost. If brought back to the club he still loves, the boost in confidence can only propel his performance level upward and he could be the vital piece in Massimiliano Allegri’s plans.
REDEMPTION FROM THE JOSE MOURINHO SYSTEM
Perhaps the most striking image of the 18 day ‘El Clasico’ marathon between Spain’s best was that of Real Madrid’s best player, Cristiano Ronaldo, throwing his arms in frustration of playing in an ultra-defensive unit which curbs the winger’s natural abilities to work magic with the ball. While that is the case with a frustrated Ronaldo who has been a constant at Real, even less can be said about Kaka, who has not really featured in Mourinho’s plans. The Portuguese tactician likes to have players in his team who are disciplined, possess a great work ethic and are willing to do a lot of dirty work; qualities which do not exactly suit Kaka, who thrives when his team has plenty of ball possession and all the play goes centrally through him. With Mourinho relying increasingly on Mesut Ozil, who has now earned a permanent berth in the starting XI with a stellar debut season taking advantage of Kaka’s lengthy absence, and the impending arrivals of Nuri Sahin, who is yet another midfielder who fits the Mourinho model due to his defensive abilities and the skills to pick out passes, and Hamit Altintop, Kaka could be phased out and increasingly spend time on the bench on big matches. For a player whose transfer fee is the second most expensive in football history, playing second or even third fiddle in big matches does not fit his image at all. This is exactly why Mourinho will push the club to not hesitate to sell the star Brazilian if a good price comes along, and not have him warming the bench as surplus and a distraction.
Silvio Berlusconi looks all set to loosen his purse strings after his interest in AC Milan was reinvigorated by the Scudetto success and it thus looks increasingly possible that Kaka could be on his way back to Milan. In recent weeks, the Brazilian play-maker has been sensational for Real Madrid as his ability to produce surging runs and brilliant shots and pick out visionary passes have returned. With the player looking sharper, a move back to the club which helped him become a star can only help shoot his confidence over the roof and help him return to his good old days. There are also rumours linking him with Chelsea where he could re-join his old master Carlo Ancelotti. But with the possibility that Ancelotti himself could face the sack after a trophyless season despite heavy spending, Milan could be the way forward for Kaka.
With the Rossoneri getting closer to the days where they were Italy’s premier powerhouse, bringing back their Golden Boy can be a step in the right direction for the club. The Scudetto has been reclaimed and Inter’s domination has been brought to an end. But Milan’s true pedigree lies in Europe, and to compete amongst the big boys in the Champions League Kaka’s return could prove to a vital factor if it materializes.