MILAN, Italy (AP)—Kaka decided to stay with AC Milan, ending talks over a record-breaking transfer bid from Manchester City reported to be worth $147 million.
“All the messages coming my way said to choose with my heart,” the 26-year-old Brazilian midfielder told Milan Channel on Monday night. “And at the end that’s what the choice was. It was absolutely not economical.”
Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi, AC Milan’s owner, returned from Middle East peace talks in Egypt and met for 1 1/2 hours with team vice president Adriano Galliani, then made the announcement on Italian television.
“For Kaka, money isn’t everything,” Berlusconi said in a telephone interview with “Processo di Biscardi.” “When I heard he preferred to stay, that he hadn’t thought about losing a chance for a higher salary and that he put the values of the club, friendship and fans affection above all else, I said, `Come on,’ and we hugged.”
FIFA’s player of the year in 2007 after leading AC Milan to the European Champions League title, Kaka is under contract with the Italian club through 2013. His actual name is Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite.
“At the end what counted was my history, where my ties are and where my heart really lies,” he said.
Earlier, a group of about 500 fans protested outside Milan’s downtown offices, lighting flares and chanting “Don’t sell Kaka!”
Afterward, about 50 fans moved toward Kaka’s home and chanted, “Stay with us, Ricardo,” to which Kaka replied by approaching a window with a Milan jersey in hand and beat his hand three times on his heart, sending the fans into delirium, the ANSA news agency and Gazzetta dello Sport’s Web site reported.
Eventually, a worker at Kaka’s house went outside and asked the fans to quiet down because they were disturbing Kaka’s child. The fans said they would leave if they could see their idol once more. Kaka obliged and approached his window again and the fans left.
Manchester City was bought in August by an Abu Dhabi consortium and is seeking to become one of Europe’s top clubs.
“Following a meeting in Milan today, the club felt that it was unlikely that the two parties could reach common ground for an agreement,” City said. “The discussions reached only a preliminary stage and the player was not involved at any time. No commercial terms were framed.”
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