Brazilian agrees to contract terms, heads back to Italy

AC Milan player Ricardo Kaka of Brazil holds up the Milan jersey upon his arrival at the Linate Airport in Milan, Monday. [PHOTO: AP]

By GILBERT WANDERA

Ricardo Kaka agreed to contract terms with AC Milan on deadline day and reportedly agreed to have his salary cut by more than half to re-join his former club.

Following a free transfer from Real Madrid on Sunday, Milan announced on its website that the club reached a deal with the 2007 FIFA world player of the year early Monday.

Financial terms were not disclosed but the Gazzetta dello Sport reported that it’s a two-year deal worth £4 million ($5.3 million) per season plus bonuses — a significant drop from the £10 million ($13.2 million) Kaka earned with Madrid.

However, the 31-year-old Kaka wants to play for Brazil at next year’s World Cup in his home country and should feature more at Milan.

“I’m ecstatic. I’m returning home,” Kaka told Sky Italia. “(Milan vice president Adriano) Galliani is right, certain love affairs never die. I can’t wait to arrive, to play, to enter the San Siro. I’ll have my No. 22 back. A lot of fans have sent me messages welcoming me back and that’s really important to me.”

Day’s Highlight

With few other moves, Kaka’s transfer was the highlight of deadline day in Italy. He was due to arrive in Milan midday and sign the deal.

Kaka joined Madrid from Milan in 2009 for £65 million ($92 million). But after injuring his left knee, he was never able to establish himself as a first-choice player in Spain.

Kaka hasn’t played in an official match with Madrid since the arrival of Carlo Ancelotti, who coached him during his best seasons at Milan.

Kaka was the world’s top player when he led Milan to the Champions League title in 2007 and also helped the Rossoneri win the UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup.

Ideal replacement

While he doesn’t seem to be the player he once was, Kaka should still be an able replacement for Kevin-Prince Boateng, who transferred from Milan to Schalke last week. He could line up either in attack alongside Mario Balotelli or share playmaker duties with Riccardo Montolivo.

Meanwhile, Japan captain Makoto Hasebe is joining Nuremberg from Bundesliga rival Wolfsburg.

Nuremberg says the 29-year-old Hasebe signed a three-year-deal on Monday. Nuremberg sporting director Martin Bader says the transfer took so long to go through “due to the high standing he achieved in six years at Wolfsburg.”

Hasebe scored five goals in 135 league games after joining the club from Urawa Red Diamonds in January 2008. He helped the team win the Bundesliga in 2009.

Also on the last day of the summer transfer window, Austria striker Marko Arnautovic is leaving Werder Bremen for Premier League side Stoke City in a transfer Bremen managing director Thomas Eichin says “suits all sides.” Arnautovic scored 14 goals in 72 Bundesliga games for Bremen since joining in    2010.                               

 — AP