Angry Milan fans are preparing a mass protest at tonight's Serie
A encounter with Fiorentina at the San Siro, when Kaka will play
alongside David Beckham for the Rossoneiri against Fiorentina. But
Ancelotti admits he is powerless to resist the move, if Milan's
senior officials give the green light.
"It is not like the days of Franco Baresi or Paolo Maldini when
we just used to say 'They are not for sale'," admitted Ancelotti.
"I have said that Kaka should not leave. He is the central part of
the future. But I am just the trainer. I train the team. I do not
choose the players.
"If Kaka leaves then it is something I will have to accept. The
question now is down to Kaka. It's up to him if he stays or goes."
The statement is hardly going to ease tensions among a militant
support who have only been able to look upon in complete
bewilderment as City put together possibly the most astonishing
transfer of all time.
Yet Ancelloti also tried to adopt a calming approach. "We cannot
be too alarmed," he cautioned. "I know what the fans are thinking
but they have to be brave. "The aims for the team remain the same,
with or without Kaka."
The idea of life without Kaka is one Milan may have to get used
to. Indeed, a part of owner Silvio Berlusconi might privately hope
the transfer goes through, given the staggering fee, more than
double the current £47million world record Real Madrid paid for
Zinedine Zidane in 2001, Milan stand to pocket.
However, there is still plenty of work to do. Chairman Khaldoon
Al Mubarak and executive chairman Garry Cook need to convince
Kaka's father Bosco Leite of their grandiose plans.
Such is the trust between father and son, if City are successful
in that aim, Kaka could well be making his debut against Newcastle
on January 28 as planned.
With a clause almost certainly going to be inserted into any
contract Kaka signs allowing the player to leave should City not
reach a certain level - probably Champions League qualification -
within a set time-frame - 18 months has been mentioned - the Blues
hierarchy cannot afford to remain static in other areas over the
next fortnight as they close in on their number one target.
Hamburg have confirmed a bid has been received from the
Eastlands outfit for their highly-rated Dutch midfield star Nigel
de Jong. "Manchester City have signalled their interest in the
player and made us an offer," said Hamburg spokesman Jorn Wolf. "We
now have to sit down and decide if it is worth considering."
The feeling at City is that De Jong will make the move, which
would at least mean Kaka is not settling in on his own should he
decide to accept an estimated £500,000 weekly salary.
