AC Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani has said that Chelsea have made an "astronomical bid" for Brazilian World Player of the Year Kaka and there is also interest in their Italian midfield star Andrea Pirlo. The previously unthinkable idea of Milan selling both stars looks to be becoming a little more real now that they have missed out on UEFA Champion's League football for next season and Galliani has admitted that the shortfall in income could be made up in one swoop by selling Kaka and Pirlo.

It would b a sore blow for AC Milan to lose two of world soccer's finest ball players in one summer but these days the top clubs know that it is Champion's League or (literally) bust in a financial sense and may find that their hand will be forced if they want to bring in Emmanuel Adebayor from Arsenal for £30m and Ronaldinho on a big money deal from Barcelona.

Chelsea have been very quiet on the Kaka story so far but they have openly admired the 26 year old in the past and with a new coach in place in the (large) shape of fellow Brazilian Big Phil Scolari, it mightn't seem too far fetched at all. Chelsea desperately need the English title and/or the Champion's League next season and the only way to do that is to buy better players, a category that Kaka obviously fits into perfectly.