AC Milan's forward Kaka - file

LONDON (AP)

Manchester City manager Mark Hughes said yesterday he remains hopeful that AC Milan midfielder Kaka will join the Premier League club in a world record transfer deal, with his assistant claiming a deal is "very close".

A reported £100 million (US$145 million) bid was tabled by the English club earlier this week for the 26-year-old Brazil star and former FIFA world player of the year.

Transfer window

Kaka said Wednesday he wants to stay and "grow old" at Milan, but Hughes said negotiations were continuing and the club will pursue Kaka until the transfer window closes on February 2.

"It's been well documented that we have expressed an interest in signing the player," Hughes said at his regular weekly news conference in Manchester.

"Obviously, (executive chairman) Garry Cook and other people went to Milan earlier in the week with a view to getting an understanding on the situation involving the player and that was done.

"But to add any substance would be wrong because what we are trying to do is concentrate on any detail that we do."

Hughes was more cautious than assistant manager Mark Bowen.

"We believe the deal is very close," Bowen told BBC radio yesterday. "We are selling the future plans of the club to the player. ... Our understanding is that it is very much a strong possibility that Kaka will be coming to Manchester City."

Kaka's spokesman, Diogo Kotscho, confirmed Wednesday that City had made a £100 million (US$145 million) bid.

Previous record

If the transfer goes through, it would smash the world's previous record, set in 2001 when Real Madrid signed Zinedine Zidane from Juventus for US$65 million.

Kaka, FIFA's player of the year in 2007, told Italian television on Wednesday that he wants to remain at Milan but that the decision is up to the club.

"I've always said that for as long as my goals are the same as Milan's and they don't want to sell me, I'll remain a Milan player," he said. "Then a lot of things can happen, if one day they (Milan) want to sell me, then it's a different story."

With City in 15th place and just two points above the relegation zone, Hughes desperately need to add more talent to a club that hasn't won a major trophy since 1976.