The BIG news today is that Phillipe Auclair, the London correspondent of France Football magazine, let slip on Arsenal TV that the first signing of the summer for The Arsenal will be Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite, better known as Kaka.
Arsene Wenger had a bid turned down in 2004, but after Arsenal knocked AC Milan out of the Champions League, Kaka has decided that his future lies in North London.
The player himself stated before the game that he was thrilled at the chance of playing against The Arsenal. "They play football the way we like it to see it in Brazil, with style, changing position all the time, moving the ball among themselves so quickly," he enthused. "Say 'Arsenal' and that is what we think of. People talk about the history of Manchester United or Liverpool but look what Arsenal achieved with the team of Thierry Henry and Patrick Vieira. They have won Premier League titles, they were in the Champions League final a few years ago and they have real quality. To us they are as much of a threat as United or Liverpool."
He also revealed in the summer of 2007 that...“I’d only ever join Arsenal in England, I love the way Arsenal play football. If I were to come to England I would like to play for Arsenal and Arsene Wenger because of their style of football."
It is a major coup for Arsene Wenger, who had been criticized in some quarters for his lack of spending and the very fragile squad, but with this signing Wenger will be confident of adding the one thing he wants most on his CV...the Champions League.
Wenger was looking at strengthening the squad this summer, but with the EURO 08 in Switzerland and Austria depriving him of trying to sign European players in June, he has gone for the Brazilian star, who is unhappy with life in Milan and the ageing Rossoneri squad.
At his pre-match press conference ahead of the Manchester United game Wenger revealed..."We will continue to do what we've done, I will buy but not too much in the summer. My priority is to keep this team together because we are still young, especially in some departments of the team.
"If we can add one player we will do it, not one in each department just one experienced player."
The attacking midfielder is reportedly set to be offered a £6 million per year, 6 year contract with The Arsenal, with the Club finally able to compete with the big-spenders in Manchester and Fulham, after seeing net profits rise after the building of The Emirates Stadium and with the £130 million Highbury Development money becoming available shortly.
This news is a great boost for the Club just before their Premier League game at Old Trafford tomorrow, after being cruelly eliminated from the Champoins League by Liverpool in mid-week, with 2 dubious penalty decisions costing them the game. The decisions, and the lack of squad strength, have made Wenger determined to win the Champions League next season. With Kaka joining, and the experience that Wenger's gifted youngsters have gained this season, the dream may become a reality in 2009 in Rome.
