As one would expect, Manchester City’s bid for Kaká was the main topic in the Italian football press. The term “indecent proposal” was bandied about, while several newspapers termed City’s offer the kind “that cannot be refused”. Il Messaggero, the Rome daily, called it “madness”, a view echoed by Gazzetta dello Sport.

“This could be a great opportunity for Milan, not least because the former Golden Child’s pay-rise requests are becoming somewhat too frequent,” Corriere dello Sport said. That view was echoed in a number of quarters yesterday, suggesting that there has been a fundamental shift in the way Kaká is viewed, both by AC Milan and the public. A poll conducted by Sky Sports Italia asked: “Would you sell Kaka for ¤100 million [about £91 million]?” Opinion was split, with the “no” camp just ahead of those willing to take the money.

Equally, the words of Silvio Berlusconi, who, as Milan owner, will make the decision whether to allow the deal, seemed rather surprising. “I hope Milan don’t have to sell him,” the Italian Prime Minister said. Words that almost seem spoken by a fan.

By lunchtime, there was a widespread opinion that selling would greatly benefit the club in the long run. Parallels were drawn with events regarding Juventus in the summer of 2001. Then, Zinedine Zidane was the greatest player in the world, yet the

Hughes must stand up and stop Kaka bid

Manager must know it is not yet time to bid for the Brazilian and that such a high-profile new arrival will only add to club's woes

• Manchester City's limitless riches start to tempt Kaka

• City may need to adapt more than the magical Brazilian

• Media call Kaka bid ‘madness’ and ‘unrefusable’

BACKGROUND

• Kaka: superstar with vision but no vices

• Italian media aghast at City's Kaka offer

• Analysis: Oliver Kay

• Man City launch £91m Kaka bid

Multimedia

• Debate: is the Kaka bid marvellous or madness?

• Times Archive: Manchester City

BACKGROUND

• City Kaka quest shows new world order

• City may have to wait for Santa Cruz

• Hughes finds clubs adding 'City premium'

• Hughes told his job is safe by City owners

Turin club sold him for a world-record £48 million to Real Madrid. The money was quickly reinvested in signing the likes of Pavel Nedved, Lilian Thuram and Gianluigi Buffon and the club won four league titles in the next five seasons — they were stripped of two after a match-fixing scandal — whereas in the previous three, with Zidane, they had won nothing.

That was the line being peddled privately by Milan, who figured that selling Kaka would effectively bring in nearly £130 million in transfer fees and savings on his hefty contract. Those funds could be used to bankroll a buying spree. Once the initial shock subsided, it was still a case of madness. But now, the feeling was that it would be madness not to sell.