Transfer Rumors: Kaka For Sale? Didier Drogba On A Free?

With the winter transfer window about to open in 4 days, rumors are going to start flying at a break neck speed. We've heard it from Jose Mourinho lately in the press that no one was going to go in or out during this transfer window. But how much of that are we truly supposed to believe?

I'm sure you did a double take at the headline, Kaka For Sale. According to a report on ESPN.com, Real Madrid is willing to let Kaka go at a cut rate price of £22 million, which is a far lower price than what the club payed for the former AC Milan midfielder and Ballon d'Or winner in 2009. In '09 Real Madrid payed a lofty £55 million to bring him from Serie A to La Liga. So, if he is sold -- the club will be losing out on about £33 million.

This same piece states that Kaka has fallen out of favor (and who hasn't fallen out of favor supposedly? This summer it was Higuian that was in the dog house) with boss Mourinho and that he prefers to play Mesut Ozil. Though both have had there bad runs of former lately. But is it enough to sour the boss so much that they're willing to let him go for a fraction of the cost that brought him here in the first place?

"Kaka has always interested other clubs and Mourinho has decided that he has far better options in midfield so the best thing to do is to move him on," a Madrid source told the Daily Mail. "There has been no concrete offer but it is now known that the club would accept an offer in the region of £22 million."

Teams that have been linked to Kaka: Paris Saint-Germain (who are now under the leadership of former Chelsea boss and double winner Carlo Ancelotti), Chelsea, and possibly his former club AC Milan.

"There is always a place at the San Siro for a 100% Milanista." - AC Milan President Silvo Berlusconi

This next rumor is a bit hard to believe but I've seen crazier things, and wouldn't happen during this window. Real Madrid is being linked to 34 year-old (35 in March) striker Didier Drogba currently playing for Premier League side Chelsea. His contract runs out in June, and reports are saying that he's willing to let his contract play out and then consider his options when said contract is up this summer.

Jose Mourinho seems to think that even at the age of 35 he has enough gas in the tank to make a impact in La Liga and for Real Madrid. Chelsea boss Andres Villas-Boas is steering his club younger and most likely Drogba will not be in his plans come next term. The reason that the summer transfer window seems more attractive is that Drogba will soon be headed to the Africa Cup Of Nations tournament -- which kicks off next month.

Still los blancos would have to pay a fist full of money to a aging striker who realistically only has a couple more seasons left in the tank at most-- even if it was a free transfer in June. And while we only have two true strikers on the roster at the moment: Karim Benzema and Gonzalo Higuain, I just don't see how he would fit into Real Madrid's attack - not to mention there are younger and better options on the market, if they're looking for a striker.

This is also the second time this month we've been linked to a Chelsea player, as earlier in the month the press had Real Madrid linked to out of favor midfielder Frank Lampard.