Just after midnight, I caught the news that Kaka was finally a Real Madrid player. Weeks of intense speculation had finally ceased with Perez beginning casting on this year's summer blockbuster, 'Galacticos - The Return' . The conclusion was somewhat inevitable though my immediate reaction turned to Garry Cook and Manchester City.
Back in January, the City chief executive returned empty-handed from Milan, despite talking the talk in the days leading up to his Italian sojourn. Cook accused Kaka's then-employers of 'bottling' a possible deal between the clubs despite it being apparent that City were ill-prepared for hard-line negotiations. When it became clear that figures and salaries and percentages were still to be ironed out and confirmed by Cook, his employers and a small gaggle of legal experts, Kaka's representatives smelled a rat. They felt that this project appeared to be a fantasy to Manchester City, that this now-flush club had got itself caught up in a land of make-believe and were just happy to play in the sand-pit with the big boys. Ultimately, this was the case, complete with Cook whingeing to all who listened that it wasn't City's fault the deal fell through but Milan's. Oh, and they also broke a confidentiality agreement. So there. Hmmmpffff...
The continental transfer market is like a high-class poker table - in an instant, experienced pros can tell apart the steely veterans from the knock-kneed novices. And the cross-table flirtations between Kaka and City made sure that Florentino Perez was buying in to the next game. He had to be patient though - it wasn't until mid-May when he formally announced he was running to succeed Ramon Calderon as Madrid president. But, the Brazilian playmaker was on his radar. Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite once made the claim that he belonged to Jesus - but Perez fancied his chances. And anyway, he could take Jesus at the poker table.
And so it proved. We're about to return to an era of hard-line serial monogamy at the Bernabéu with Perez flirting with and seducing, not just a host of the world's top players but the club's core fanbase. In both cases, the demographics should know better. Actually, scratch that. The players are pawns in a political game and utimately, are merely stocks and shares. Not that they care. With a glittering move to a club like Real Madrid, the incoming players are insured in an iron-tight, win-win scenario - bank balance increased, profile increased, etc. So, the players probably shouldn't know better at all. The fans on the other hand...
Perez has been at Madrid before - it was a period of constant rumour, suspicion, idle gossip, not-so-idle gossip, four directors of football, six coaches, 20 players and €440m spent in just three years. He sacked Vincente del Bosque who had guided Madrid to 2 European Cups and 2 Primera Liga titles. It's also worth remembering that the Galactico period ultimately won Madrid a solitary Champions League and domestic league title while post 2003, the club failed to win a single trophy in the next three seasons.
But, this is what the fans want. The club has claimed two domestic league titles in the last three years but the supporters want change. They want big names. They want the headlines again. The question is, do they want to sacrifice trophies again?
