Kaka - Photo Roberto Vicario CCA
The deal which was going to take Kaka across to Real Madrid was progressing relatively smoothly when suddenly the prospect of Chelsea joining in and stirring things up emerged. Of course, with Kaka’s former coach Carlo Ancelotti now in charge at the Bridge, big money transfers involving players he has worked with before are rumour gold, but it looked like Real Madrid had seen off any competition on June 1st when the Telegraph reported that a late Chelsea bid had been attempted and rebuffed.
The ante was upped considerably yesterday by Sky Sports News, who reported that Chelsea were very much still in the race, and had made a serious bid for the star. Excitedly, we looked for their corroborating evidence:
Chelsea have made an astonishing £73.5million bid for AC Milan superstar Kaka, according to Sky Sports News sources.
That is astonishing, given that the figures associated with the Real Madrid bid range from around £56m to £65m, depending on whose news you read. If you were Roman Abramovich, you’d probably check what has been accepted, if anything, and then bid either the same or just a little bit more - and not anywhere between £8.5m-£17.5m more than the player was worth. Still, when your sources are ‘Sky Sports News sources’, well, it rather gives you carte blanche to write anything you like. Try reading that sentence as “Chelsea have made an astonishing £73.5million bid for AC Milan superstar Kaka, because we say they have”, and you’ll see what we mean.
Kaka went on record as recently as Tuesday to insist that he was happy with the Rossoneri and had no plans to move on this summer.
It’s hard not to feel a little sympathy for Kaka, who’s done nothing but insist he wants to stay at Milan, turning down the monopoly money of the Manchester City bid in the process.
But further speculation emerged that Real Madrid were planning a swoop following Florentino Perez’s appointment as president, with the returning supremo eager to make another ‘Galactico’ signing.
Still, Perez needs a marquee signing. If you’re not already tired of the word ‘galactico’, you will be by the end of the summer.
And Sky Sports News sources now understand that Chelsea have tabled a bid which trumps the reported offer of £56million from Santiago Bernabeu.
There are those sources again! Thank heavens someone understands - we were clinging by the fingernails to a life raft of confusion, and the Sky Sports News sources’ powerful sense of understanding has pulled us to safety.
Former AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti was installed as the new Blues manager on Monday and he could now be set to link up again with the talented playmaker.
Could be. If the Sky Sports News sources aren’t just saying words.
Chelsea’s £73.5million bid is reported to be backed up by an offer of £10million-a-year in wages after tax for Kaka in a bid to lure him to Stamford Bridge.
Again, “is reported to be” - that’s a cheap trick. Given the only people with this breaking news are Sky Sports News sources, the only people reporting it at the moment are Sky Sports News. So Sky Sports is in effect saying that “Chelsea’s £73.5m bid is reported (by us and us alone, based on our sources) to be backed up…”
Good article. Chelsea were particularly impressed by it. Here’s their official statement on their website:
‘We have never made an offer to AC Milan for Kaka and therefore not one at this extraordinary level. As a consequence we have not discussed a salary with the player either. Any reports to the contrary are totally untrue.’
That’s quite unequivocal, then. Firstly, there’s no offer, nor has there ever been one. Secondly, even if there were an offer, the amounts discussed are astonishing, to borrow Sky Sports News’ word. Thirdly, no bid, therefore no discussion about a wage package, whatever it is reported to be.
The consequence of this is that Sky Sports write a fresh story
this morning on the Kaka situation, in which they sort-of-but-not-really backtrack:
Chelsea have categorically denied making an audacious £73.5million offer for AC Milan playmaker Kaka.
Good start.
Sky Sports News sources understand that the world record bid has been tabled in an attempt to bring the gifted Brazil international to Stamford Bridge.
The package is reported to include wages of £10million a year after tax, even more than Manchester City were prepared to offer during their failed swoop during the winter transfer window.
Hold on a second - Chelsea just categorically denied it - so what do you mean the ‘bid has been tabled’? There are those understanding Sky Sports News sources at work again… and of course there is the term ‘is reported’ - now finally but despairingly valid, given that Sky Sports News reported it yesterday.
Carlo Ancelotti’s appointment as Chelsea manager on Monday has only served to heighten suggestions that he could be prepared to raid his former club as aims to bring the UEFA Champions League trophy to the club.
But the Blues have moved to quash the fervent speculation that they were prepared to break the bank to ensure one of the finest players on the planet could be on his way to West London in the coming days.
Great final line, which reads something like ‘but obviously, Chelsea fans, your board doesn’t love you enough to spend £73.5m to get you someone really good at football’.
It seems like the battle-lines have been drawn on this transfer. Chelsea say no deal, but despite printing Chelsea’s official denial, the Sky Sports News sources still seem to imply that the bid has been made and is therefore alive. It will be interesting to see who was telling the truth.
[...] Kaka, according to Sky Sports News sources - although no less astonishingly those stories which we covered not 24 hours ago appear to have [...]