Kaka Revealed: Why Real Madrid Should Resist Urge To Sell Star

It's no hidden fact that Ricardo Kaka, along with other big names, had a lot of money spent on him by newly elected Real Madrid president, Florentino Perez. Last year, he was signed for a reported 65 million euros, but has since failed to live up to expectations.

His first season, however, was plagued with numerous long-term injuries that saw him miss a huge part of the 2009/2010 season, which has in turn hurt the trust the fans have for him especially after playing the World Cup with the same persistent injury that doctors now confirm could have ended his career. The former World Player of the Year now seems to be facing the very dark times every player experiences in his career.

This then leads me to the question: Should Florentino Perez really consider selling such a player of undeniable quality for a lower price during what seems to be a temporary loss of form?

The answer is an emphatic NO!

Firstly, Kaka is a midfielder of irrefutable quality and skill. His best days may now be behind him, but he still demonstrated a lot of brilliance in the World Cup. He has a lot of speed and strength on the ball, and his shot technique has world-class written all over it. He makes some incisive runs and defense-wrecking passes. Kaka has the ability to attract defenders to himself and although he occasionally breaks under pressure, it helps in opening up space for other attackers.

Looking at the situation from an age panorama, Kaka still has so many years of football ahead (five years, at least). The likes of Diego Milito, Didier Drogba, Steven Gerrard, and Franck Lampard would prove the veracity of my theory. Everyone would agree that all the players named above are in their early 30s and are still major contributors to their various teams.

Kaka is a former World Player of the Year which goes a long way to show how valuable a player he is once he finds his strength. He may never be as good as he was in 2007, but it doesn't mean he can't be an important part of a potential Champions League winning side. It's also necessary to put into consideration the fact that Real Madrid has a very young team and should hold on to the few experienced players on the team for extra strength, and hence, a better shot at European glory.

Recent media reports have implied that the Brazilian hid the extent of his injury from Real Madrid in an attempt to participate in the World Cup. In as much as I don't think Kaka had any such intentions, I still think he was the most loyal of men because he put his country ahead of his club.

Kaka is not getting any younger and his decision to preserve himself in order to play in the World Cup, a tournament held once every four years, was nothing less than a wise one, especially at a time when Real Madrid's chances of winning silverware were as slim as a toothpick. Yes, Real Madrid pays him to play, but the club can fight for trophies every year, and Kaka and Real Madrid had nothing to lose from his missing the last few games of the season.

There is also the very serious issue of over-excitement from fans of the club and the management itself with the newest signings, Canales, Sami Khedira, Angel Di Maria, and Pedro Leon. After the likes of Ronaldo, Kaka, Xabi Alonso, and Benzema arrived last season, there was a lot of hype surrounding their signatures, and the expectations were so huge, the president called them "the new era of the Galacticos."

But the real problem came when management erroneously began to see Wesley Snjeider and Arjen Robben as surplus. They were let go, but in no time, were back to compete for the Champions League trophy with different clubs. Although management may never admit it, selling Arjen Robben in particular, was a very big gaffe.

Unfortunately, that mistake could repeat itself if Kaka is sold. The Brazilian is a quality player who is just in a very complicated phase in his career because of injuries.

Nobody should get carried away by the newest signings, including the coach, because just like us, the players are only human. Some of these signings will live up to expectations, while others won't either because of injuries, or just mere loss of form. In Kaka's position, players like Rafael Van der Vaart and Sergio Canales are ready to fill in, but the former is injury-prone, while the latter is simply young and would still need some mentoring.

Kaka will still come strong and when he does, any club that has his signature will be glad to have him because he is a talented player and a very good person. A player's form can be lost, but the quality of the player is what stays on.