Milan owner Berlusconi hints at Man City target Kaka exit.
Italian giants also eyeing Chelsea's Essien and Alex as well as Arsenal's left-back Clichy
KAKA'S proposed transfer from AC Milan to Manchester City has not even reached a conclusion but already speculation is rife on how the Italians will spend the mooted €120 million transfer fee.
And yesterday's Gazzetta dello Sport, one of the more informed newspapers in the country, claims London giants Chelsea and Arsenal could face a pillaging of some of their prized assests.
It is well known that for all the attacking talent at Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti's disposal the team have an ageing and fading defence.
So the Kaka money will be spent largely on reinforcing the rearguard, plus a little to replace the departed Brazilian.
Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor and Chelsea's midfield general Michael Essien are the two marquee names thrown in the mix with Gazzetta claiming Milan are ready to spend €35 million on each.
Added to that will be a €15 million bid for Arsenal's French left-back Gael Clichy and a €10 million offer for Chelsea's back-up Brazilian centre-back Alex.
The Kaka saga still has a little way to run yet but should the deal go through, it could spark a desperate transfer rush before the end of the January window.
Meanwhile, Milan owner Silvio Berlusconi hinted yesterday that he is in favour of the proposed €120 million transfer of Kaka to City.
The mega-rich English Premier League team's interest in Kaka has been much documented with current rumours suggesting a bid in excess of €120 million is on the table with Kaka set to more than double his salary to €15 million a season if he moves.
Milan have not publicly accepted any offer but have given Kaka permission to speak to City and Berlusconi doesn't seem to be doing anything to try to hold onto his star Brazilian.
"Nothing is decided yet, but it is very difficult to ask someone to stay and respect his contract when he has been offered such a huge amount of money," said the Italian Prime Minister.
"You have to act in a moral way, like a big brother, as I did with Sheva (Andriy Shevchenko).
"I didn't know how to say no to him when the offer came in from Chelsea."
Berlusconi may claim that he can't prevent Kaka from signing for City with such money on offer, but Milan did manage to reject a lower bid from Chelsea for the Brazilian last year.
And following Milan's Champions League final victory over Liverpool in 2007 he described Kaka as the 'symbol' of the club and said he would never let the Brazilian leave.
But money seems to be the motivating factor with what seems an imminent acceptance of City's bid, with the PM finding a convenient excuse not to fight to hold onto Kaka.
"We can't possibly increase the salaries for everyone as we would have to do to keep hold of Kaka," he said.
"I've already said it and (vice-president) Adriano Galliani believes it too but my reasoning is clear: you can't say no to a lad who has a short career and who has the potential to earn much more than he is currently being paid.
"On the other hand we can't raise his salary because it's already very high and we would have to raise the salary of all the other players as well."
Yet despite that, Berlusconi tried to avoid angering the club's fans, some of whom protested on Friday against the sale of Kaka.
"I hope he stays," said the politician.
Kaka himself said earlier in the week that he wants to stay at Milan and hopes to one day captain the club.
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