AC Milan playmaker Kaka is just a hop, skip and a jump away - or possibly a lung-busting bike ride, if that is what constitutes a medical these days - from completing his £56m world record transfer to Real Madrid.

Florentino Perez, the Spanish club's new president, is so eager to mark his return to power with a marquee signing that he's sent the club doctors to Brazil to conduct their tests on Kaka in-between the Samba Boys' World Cup qualifiers against Uruguay and Paraguay.

The 27-year-old will then be sent to South Africa to compete in the Confederations Cup before heading to the Bernabeu to perform circus tricks at his unveiling in front of the media and a stand-full of adoring fans.

Bayern Munich president Franz Beckenbauer wants to put an end to the speculation surrounding the future of Franck Ribery and I think we can all say Amen! to that.

Der Kaiser said: "I can see only two solutions: Ribery extends his contract so the issue is dealt with or we release him."

Real Madrid, Chelsea and Manchester United - let's throw in Barcelona, Manchester City and Juventus for good measure - have all been linked with the French forward, who, according to Bayern general manager Uli Hoeness, has just one of his legs valued at €50m.

Meanwhile, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is set to sign Ajax Amsterdam centre-back Thomas Vermaelen for £10m. Vermaelen, 23, told Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad: "Moving to Arsenal is the right path for me... I think everything is going to be okay."

But before all you Gunners jump for joy that your manager has actually found his cheque-book, you may want to absorb to following information: Kolo Toure is going to Manchester City. Well, at least that's what Monday's newspapers claimed.

Liverpool's chances of signing Ezequiel Lavezzi from Lazio received a boost when the Argentine striker's advisor told Napoli he was ready to play hardball to get his client a move to Anfield.

"Ezequiel has tried several times to speak to [Napoli general director Pierpaolo] Marino but he has received no response," Eduardo Rossetto said. "If Napoli have decided to take this extreme position, so will we."

Lavezzi, 24, joined Napoli in the summer of 2007 and scored seven goals for the Serie A club this season.

It looks like post-sex pastry-eater Antonio Cassano will be staying at Sampdoria and won't be heading to Inter Milan to replace Real Madrid target Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Sampdoria president Riccardo Garrone said: "I think Cassano will remain in Genoa. I've heard that Inter want him but in recent hours I have read that Ibrahimovic could stay at Inter."

Garrone also added a nice little put down to ward off any interested parties. "Antonio is a prima donna and with his character he can express his game better in a team in which he has no competition."

In Monday's other transfer tittle-tattle Manchester City are set to make a £15m bid for Everton defender Joleon Lescott (breathe a sigh of relief you Arsenal fans), Liverpool's Xabi Alonso is a target for Real Madrid, Sevilla are interested in signing Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Didier Zokora and most shocking of all Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill is ready to offer Newcastle United striker Michael Owen a two-year deal.