Bonera: Kaka still has a lot to give

Posted Monday, August 06, 2012 by ESPN

AC Milan's Daniele Bonera has backed the club's attempts to sign re-sign Real Madrid's Kaka.

A spate of injuries and fierce competition for places has relegated Kaka to the Real Madrid bench for most of last season, prompting rumours that the Brazilian would attempt to leave the Santiago Bernabeu this summer. Former employers AC Milan have been open about their interest in bringing their former star back to the San Siro, with Rossoneri CEO Adriano Galliani opening talks with Real president Florentino Perez in New York while Los Blancos are on their pre-season tour of the United States of America.

Galliani admitted his efforts to Sky Sports Italia, but also revealed that the player's wage demands could prove a major stumbling block to his Milan return.
"It will be very hard for us to sign Kaka because of his high wages, but he is a player who is part of our history," he stated.

Defender Bonera knows all about Kaka's history with the Rossoneri, having played alongside him for three years. Although critics have pointed out that the Sao Paulo player is no longer as impactful as he used to be, the Italian believes Kaka's return would still prove beneficial for Milan.

"On a footballing level, he still has a lot to give, and he's also a great person," Bonera said to Gazzetta dello Sport.

"It would be a positive to have him here with us for a number of reasons, not least in the way he trains. Ricky is a fantastic professional and he would be a great example for all of the kids."

Last season's Serie A runners-up will be keen to bolster their squad after losing Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Thiago Silva to Paris Saint-Germain. While Bonera admits the Rossoneri have lost quite a bit of quality, he insisted that their competitive spirit and belief was intact.

"Technically, we have lost a lot, but football teaches us that the players are one thing and the team is another thing altogether," Bonera stated.

"You can compensate for certain deficiencies in the collective and Juve are a good example of this: last year nobody would have thought they would win the championship, but they finished the season undefeated. The fans must have faith - because we do."