Kaka? He aint that bad...

So it seems, late on this tuesday evening, that the former European and World footballer of the year will be a Madrid player by morning. And the saving grace for any Milan fan? If he doesn't, he would likely become the latest protagonist to leave the San Siro for Stamford Bridge. Super.

In January, it seemed that only the footballing equivalent of Robert Redford in 'Indecent Proposal' (You get more money than you could imagine for something you can't replace with any amount of cash) could prize Kaka away. However, he decided to defy Manchester City's advances and followed with statement after statement claiming that we was no closer to leaving Milan than the style and vanity of its more common inhabitants. Indeed, only today Kaka was quoted in the Times claiming "I say it for the last time, I don't want to leave Milan....In this period I prefer to stay quiet because I don't want to be misinterpreted. To the millions of Rossoneri fans I say my decision has been made. I have said I want to stay. Now please leave me in peace."

This is not the first, nor will be the last, occasion when an athlete reneges on his word. But his imminent departure has little to do with his loyalty and more to do with the failings of the proud team he plays for. Milan have won just a single league title in ten years and, while they have appeared in three Champions League finals during that period (and they would have won all three but for the collosal collapse in Instanbul - Jerzy Dudek, you are on my list), this team has not been amongst Europe's elite consistently for a long time. Nor do they look likely to return to the echelon of their success in the mid-nineties any time soon. With the exception of Alex 'the duck' Pato (possibly the best sporting nickname since somebody started calling Fitz Hall one size. Get it? One size Fitz Hall. hard to beat that), Milan have failed to add a single impact player to the squad that lost that infamous final to Liverpool in 2005 when they were a legitimate player on the world stage. The team is old, the key components on the slide and few reasons to believe that they can close the gap on the current champions Internazionale - champs for the last 4 years.

But Kaka would hardly be leaving for a powerhouse. Yes, Real do intend to rock the footballing boat by spending upwards of £100 million this summer on new players in an effort to return to the 'Galacticos' era and close the gap on the premier power in world football right now, their great rivals Barcelona, but they were distant runners up in a two horse race this year and will surely struggle to assimilate half a team's worth of players instantly. Rumour is that as many as 15 players will exit before the close of the summer transfer window - it's fortunate all these guys are famous or nobody would have a chance remembering who will have come and gone.

Kaka turned down the blue side of Manchester and their millions (he would have earned a six figure sum fortnightly) to remain at Milan and also to remain in the Champion's League and avoid a rebuilding project. Madrid is not Manchester. Real are possibly the most famed team in the world and the Brazilian would be joining many a respected and award-winning footballer. However, Real may require more surgery than Manchester City right now to achieve their immediate goals and are, and always seem to be, navigating their way through far more political turbulence.

The wider impact of the Manchester City transfer talk was that it proved that Kaka was available for transfer. You could buy him. You didn't have to enter the realm of uncertainty that parades around the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, David Villa et al. You could actually ring up, offer some cash and hey presto, his dad would be round to discuss terms (anyone who has some deja vu after reading the last statement really doesn't need me to tell them what that means). How hurt was Kaka by this? Did he expect that there was absolutely no fee Milan would accept?

This could be the best result for both teams concerned; Real Madrid get their marquee signing and can point to this deal as the first step in their return to the top. They also get Adidas' most marketable asset, a feature that defined the period of the Galacticos. Milan can use the funds to, hopefully, rebuild a decrepit squad and imprint a new identity that can lead them to the summit in the next decade.

Kaka has been a shining light in a time of gloom for Milan. They were already beckoning in a new era, squinted eyes and all as to an uncertain future without their captain Paolo Maldini, and while few Milan fans will celebrate the sale of their prized player and the man Maldini had ordained as the next captain, the truth is that his sale was purely delayed by six months after the glimmer of possibility was opened up by the blue moon of Manchester City. There can be no doubting the value of their money now as they seem certain to influence the biggest deal of the summer, albeit without making the transfer themselves.

Buona Fortuna Kaka, its been a privelidge.