With Gareth Bale's move to Real Madrid on the verge of completion, it's no surprise to see a number of attacking players linked with moves away from the Bernabeu.
Mesut Ozil, Angel di Maria and Karim Benzema have all been the subject of speculation over recent weeks, but one player has made his feelings clear that he wants to seek first team football elsewhere.
In a frank interview with AS, Brazilian playmaker Kaka said: “I am feeling very good physically but the club know that I would like to find a solution to my situation. Things are difficult for me here, there is increasingly less room for me. I am ready every day to train and work but this is not to say that I am happy.
“The club know that I would like to go and that I would like them to help me find a way out. Carlo Ancelotti knows, Florentino Perez knows, everyone at the club knows and I hope that between now and Monday a solution is found.”
It's a move that has been on the cards for some time, with Kaka gradually falling from grace since his 2009 switch from Milan to Los Blancos. The £56m transfer fee was a then world record, though Madrid went on to smash that just weeks later with the signing of Cristiano Ronaldo.
Injuries have curtailed the Brazilian’s career in Madrid, and he has never hit the heights that he did at the San Siro, where he established himself as one of the best players in the world. Many thought that reuniting with his former boss Ancelotti would spark a recovery in his performances, but the additions of Isco and Bale are set to push the 31-year-old even further down the pecking order.
With a spot in Brazil's 2014 World Cup squad hanging in the balance, it's key for the playmaker to move on and seek regular playing time before next summer's tournament. The problem for him is that there aren't many suitors around the world that are willing to fund a move for a player who hasn't played his best football for almost five years.
Manchester United and LA Galaxy have been credited with an interest in taking the trequarista away from the Spanish capital, but the strongest link appears to be from the Rossoneri, who let Kevin Prince-Boateng leave the club for Schalke on Friday.
A huge drain on club resources, Madrid must be hoping for a swift resolution to Kaka's future, particularly with the financially staggering Bale deal set for confirmation. With an abundance of attacking players in the aforementioned Ozil, Isco, Bale and even Luka Modric, it's hard to see how the one-time Ballon d’Or winner could make a telling impact for Ancelotti's side this year, and a separation is the best scenario for all parties.
The truth is that since Florentino Perez took the reins at Real Madrid for the second time, Kaka is possibly the biggest mistake the club has made. He never came close to justifying the £56m price tag, and will now go down as one of the biggest flops in recent La Liga history. Kaka – and Madrid – just have to hope that his move away from the club is completed by Monday's transfer deadline, or face another five months of disgruntlement.
