Kaka-to-Galaxy more than a rumor. Is he a better option than Lampard?

Rising from the gossip rags or your rumor aggregator of choice, the Kaká-to-LA Galaxy rumor has gone legit, with Sports Illustrated’s Grant Wahl reporting the defending Major League Soccer champions are in pursuit of the former Balon d’Or winner.

The 30-year-old midfielder has worked his way back into the Brazilian national team picture, but at Real Madrid, he hasn’t held down a starting spot since Manuel Pellegrini was replaced by José Mourinho (who brought in Mesüt Özil).

Though time and injuries have detracted from the brilliance that led Carlo Ancelotti’s AC Milan teams, Kaká would be one of the best players in MLS. Better than an aging David Beckham, Kaká would be a significant upgrade for Bruce Arena’s team.

Speaking to Wahl, one of the potential move’s power brokes spoke with confidence about the possibility of snaring the former Rossoneri standout:

“We’re well aware of Kaká's interest in MLS, and we in turn have made it very clear to him that he’s aware of our interest in him,” said Tim Leiweke, the president of AEG, which owns the Galaxy. “We have a great relationship with Real Madrid, and just as we worked through a player with them six years ago [Beckham], I’m absolutely convinced we could find the right deal this time, too.”

Wahl does a great job of walking through the obstacles to a deal, factors which include Kaká's Real Madrid contract, a potential transfer fee, competition from Brazilian clubs, and the player’s potential preference to play in New York. There’s much more on that here (along with more quote from Leiweke regarding the Galaxy and AEG).

There is one other factor that may dissuade a move: Brazil 2014. Kaká is in the mix for a role at the next World Cup, a role that would be risked if he left Europe for MLS. When Beckham and Thierry Henry made their jumps to North America, their national team fates seemed sealed (Beckham subsequently revitalized his). The lack of competition in Robbie Keane and Tim Cahill’s teams meant less risk in their moves.

It’s mostly an issue of perception, but since that perception exists, it may be a factor in Kaká's decision. If he wants to play at Brazil 2014 and believes staying in a top league is necessary to that end, he may not come of Major League Soccer. He may not be willing to play the 11-month seasons Beckham had to endure to stay in frame for England, serving loan spells at Milan to stay on Fabio Capello’s radar.

Of course, the same issue would apply to Frank Lampard, the Chelsea midfielder and England international who has also been linked with David Beckham’s Galaxy spot. As Wahl points out, the Kaká news is bad for him, with LA only able to bring one of the two midfielders to Home Depot Center.

Leiweke, as told to Wahl:

”... I’m a huge Frank Lampard fan, and I personally have great respect for him. I’ve gotten to spend some time with him, and he’s an unbelievably good guy. Is he the right fit for our team now for what we need?”

“We now have a Time Warner Latino channel that we are very focused on. It was a major reason that we made the deal with them. And as much as we understand the Lakers are the mothership, on the Hispanic channel the Galaxy has a chance of being an equal partner to the Lakers as to the demand, and we get that. But we’d better build a team that ultimately acknowledges the demos and how they’re changing. We’re going to be very careful with that [Designated Player] slot.”

I don’t find a potential Kaká-versus-Lampard discussion that compelling. Apparently, neither does Leiweke, albeit for entirely different reasons.

Kaká's a much better, younger, and more popular player. There’s a large number of English Premier League fans in this part of the world that might love to see Lamps in the States (and there is no shortage of Chelsea fans in Los Angeles), but this is Kaká we’re talking about. It’s a pretty each choice.

But what say you? If you were in Tim Leiweke’s immaculately shined shoes, who would you pursue? Kaká? Or Frank Lampard?