A World Where Loyalty Means Absolutely Nothing

As the Kaká saga keeps unfolding it is getting more and more likened to the death of football.

A bid so great it’s hard to grasp the numbers. Football equals money and have done so for longer than I can remember and it’s incredibly sad to see a player who has remained loyal to his team for the past five years to almost be forced to part ways with his beloved club.

After AC Milan reportedly rejecting Manchester City’s initial bid of €100m for Brazilian playmaker Ricardo Kaká the club has decided to start negotiations—that according to the latest reports looks to be coming to a close. The club would get a staggering €112 million while the player himself is set to land €15 million per season after taxes.

Although Kaká hardly seems to be interested in the move to Eastlands where Manchester City currently are fighting dangerously close to the relegation zone – despite the amount of money on the table—the player whom this concerns may very well be forced to leave simply due to the enormousness of the bid

Team mates and coaches alike have expressed their deep desires to keep the player at the club. Ronaldinho went out of his way and practically begged his fellow countryman to stay at the club in order for it to be successful while Ancelotti stated that he is  simply a mere powerless coach.

So let’s take a moment and focus on the player this historical transfer is focused on.

Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite switched from Saõ Paolo to AC Milan in the summer of 2003. Since that time the Brazilian has grown to become the best footballer in the world and one of the club’s key-players.

People may say that Kaká owes Milan everything, but I say Milan owes him too. The amount of work he has put in and the loyalty he has showcased when Real Madrid and Chelsea came knocking on the door is rare in today’s football.

When he says that he wants to grow old in Milan and captain the team I fully believe him and there is no doubt in my mind that he is speaking from the heart. The lucrative contract is hardly tempting for Kaká who knows he would have to sacrifice his career in order for the move to go through.

To fight relegation battles with Manchester City instead of fighting to get back in the Champions League is hardly the ambition of the player that has carried Milan on his shoulders for the last couple of seasons.

No offense to Manchester City but player of his caliber deserves to play in the finest and most prestigious of clubs and play lead roles on Europe’s biggest stages.

While it would be a major blow for Milan to lose Kaká’s services it’s still their choice at the end of the day and they could put the money they would get for their offensive midfielder to good use—although I wonder how wisely they would be able to do that. Not only that—Serie A would lose one its most prolific players of recent years.

The Diavolo supporters have shown their discontent against the sale of their golden boy the last couple of days and are set to intensify their protests in tonight’s game against Fiorentina. Perhaps it will be the Brazilians last game in the Milan shirt? Guess we’ll all learn the outcome of that story sooner rather than later.

Even if Kaká ultimately remains at the club the relationship has been utterly tainted due to the recent week’s events. Football is no longer what is used to be. Every factor of the game is driven by money and the days of team loyalty seem to end with the golden generation of players such as Francesco Totti and Alessandro Del Piero.