Real Madrid signs Kaka for record $92 million

L.A. Times Archives

June 9, 2009 12 AM PT

Staff And Wire Reports

Real Madrid has announced the signing of Brazilian star Kaka from AC Milan.

Madrid gave no financial details, but reports on Monday said the Spanish club will pay Milan $92 million for the attacking midfielder, making it the richest transfer deal in soccer history.

The largest previous transfer was set by Zinedine Zidane when he joined Madrid from Juventus for $65 million in 2001.

Kaka, who passed a physical in the Brazilian city of Recife earlier Monday, has signed a six-year contract.

“Kaka is one of the players that every team would like to have, and Madrid had the chance to get him,” Madrid President Florentino Perez said.

Kaka is the first player to join Madrid since Perez regained the club presidency unopposed last week.

Perez has said he intends to revive his “galactico” policy, which, along with Zidane, attracted star players such as David Beckham, Ronaldo and Luis Figo to Madrid earlier in the decade.

COLLEGE BASEBALL

CS Fullerton will open against Arkansas

Cal State Fullerton will play the opening game of the double-elimination College World Series against Arkansas on Saturday at Omaha. The other game on Saturday will pit Virginia against Louisiana State.

Top-seeded Texas will play Southern Mississippi in the night game on Sunday, preceded by the Arizona State-North Carolina game. Texas became the final team to advance to the tournament this year when it defeated Texas Christian, 5-2, on Monday.

PRO FOOTBALL

Vikings reportedly give Favre a deadline

The Minnesota Vikings reportedly have told Brett Favre to decide this week if he wants to play this season.

Coach Brad Childress imposed the deadline on the star quarterback, according to ESPN. The network cited two unidentified sources on its website.

The Vikings were unavailable for comment. Neither Childress nor Favre’s agent, Bus Cook, returned messages.

BASEBALL

Rangers’ Hamilton out at least four weeks

Texas Rangers center fielder Josh Hamilton will undergo surgery today to repair a partial tear in an abdominal muscle and is expected to miss the next four to six weeks.

“That’s great, because we thought it would be longer,” Manager Ron Washington said.

The Rangers also announced that they exercised their option on Washington’s contract, keeping him with the team at least through 2010.

David Ortiz’s vision has checked out well as the Boston Red Sox try to help him out of his season-long slump.

The designated hitter received drops for dry eyes, team spokesperson Pam Ganley said. Ortiz has two homers and 22 runs batted in with a .197 batting average in 51 games.

ETC.

Ducks sign Brown to two-year extension

The Ducks signed right wing Mike Brown to a two-year contract extension with a $537,500 cap hit in each season. Brown, who became a valuable penalty killer and energy player after he was acquired from Vancouver on Feb. 4, would otherwise have become a restricted free agent on July 1.

-- Helene Elliott

John Daly managed only four birdies over 36 holes in a U.S. Open qualifier at Germantown, Tenn., but didn’t get one of the 13 spots available.

Louisiana State forward Tasmin Mitchell has withdrawn from the NBA draft and will return to the Tigers as a fifth-year senior next season. Mitchell averaged 16.3 points last season.

Barry Bonds’ wife has filed for legal separation. The former San Francisco Giants slugger and Liz Watson were married in 1998 and have a 10-year-old daughter, Aisha.

Watson cited irreconcilable differences in papers filed by her lawyer in Los Angeles Superior Court. She is seeking spousal support and joint legal and physical custody.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

College World Series

When: Saturday-June 23/24.

Where: Rosenblatt Stadium, Omaha.

TV: ESPN, ESPN2.

Teams, Record: CWS appearances

Texas, 46-14-1: 33rd

Arizona State, 49-12: 21st

Cal State Fullerton, 47-14: 16th

Louisiana State, 51-16: 15th

North Carolina, 47-16: 8th

Arkansas, 39-22: 6th