AC Milan's Filippo Inzaghi celebrates with team mate Kaka (L) after scoring against Inter Milan during their Italian Serie A soccer match at the San Siro stadium in Milan May 4, 2008.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

Chelsea has put a big-money offer on the table for Brazilian playmaker Kaka, AC Milan Vice President Adriano Galliani said yesterday, without giving further details of the proposed deal.

"An astronomical offer has come in from Chelsea for Kaka," Galliani told Italian newspaper La Stampa, adding that club has also expressed interest in the club's World Cup winner Andrea Pirlo.

Despite failing to qualify for the Champions League, Galliani insisted the Rossoneri have been continuing to strengthen their squad and increase players' salaries.

"This means we'll be 50 million euros (US$78 million) in the red," he said, adding: "All we would need to do in order to wipe out our debts is sell Kaka and Pirlo."

AC Milan has been linked with various players in the close season, including Barcelona duo Samuel Eto'o and Ronaldinho, and Arsenal's unsettled star Emmanuel Adebayor.

Meanwhile, ankle surgery will likely keep Cristiano Ronaldo from starting the season with Manchester United.

The Portugal winger is set to be operated on this week after playing with pain over the final two months of the English season and through the European Championship. The Premier League season starts in mid-August.

Likely to stay

Despite talk of a transfer to Real Madrid, the 23-year-old Ronaldo appears likely to stay with United, which won the Premier League and Champions League last season.

Also, Palmeiras goalkeeper Diego Cavalieri has traveled to England to finalize a transfer to Liverpool, his agent said on Saturday.

Cavalieri was authorized by Palmeiras to negotiate with the English club and did not travel with the Brazilian team for yesterday's league match against Atletico Mineiro.

"We are going to finalize the details," Cavalieri's agent Juninho Parmigiani was quoted as saying by local media. "We can't say it's a done deal because there are some situations that still need to be resolved. By the end of the weekend everything should be settled."

Reports said Liverpool will pay US$6 million for the 25-year-old goalkeeper, who headed to England on Friday.

Several teams have been after Cavalieri recently even though he is a reserve to World Cup veteran Marcos at Palmeiras. Cavalieri played several matches in the past year because of Marcos' injuries.

(Agencies Via Shanghai Daily July 7, 2008 )