HOW could you make up for losing a World Footballer of the Year? Sign another one. Transfer talk heightens at this time of year and the latest piece of speculation is that Manchester United are lining up Kaka should Cristiano Ronaldo join Real Madrid. Tabloids reported yesterday that representatives of the Brazilian had talked to United with a view to brokering a £70m move from AC Milan. United insist Ronaldo will stay but the tittle-tattle lets fans and observers of the club indulge in fantasy football.

Where would Kaka fit in? The Brazilian favours playing as a No 10, floating behind the front line. Ronaldo came in off his flank to operate centrally for much of 2007-08, when he scored 42 goals, but this season has been used more as an out-and-out winger. United are thought to have a deal in place with Wigan for Luis Antonio Valencia and so it is possible to see Sir Alex Ferguson, if he loses Ronaldo, using Valencia to replicate Ronaldo’s wide threat and Kaka, though less of a goalscorer, might provide the menace in the middle.

Intriguingly, in an interview with the Uefa magazine, The Technician, Ferguson picks out Kaka as one of the four opposition players in Europe since the start of the Champions League he most admires along with Lionel Messi, Zinedine Zidane and his “favourite”, Paolo Maldini. “Lionel Messi is top-level and, although he has never really taken my breath away, Kaka has impressed,” said Ferguson.