Kaka is set to join the ranks of Real Madrid after a medical exam on Monday.

Kaka, given permission to meet with Real officials between World Cup qualifiers against Uruguay and Paraguay, is believed to have already passed initial tests. His full medical was scheduled to take place a 9am local time, 1pm BST, at the national team’s base in Recife.

Unless there are any unexpected problems then Kaka will be confirmed as Real’s first signing following the return of Florentino Perez as club president.

The fee is reported to be £56m, which would smash the previous world record of £47 paid to Juventus by Real for Zinedine Zidane in 2001.

Chelsea were linked with an even bigger bid for Kaka last week but that was later denied by all parties.

The playmaker remains desperate to stay at the San Siro but the economic realities of such a huge transfer fee mean Milan are eager to do business in order to provide new boss Leonardo with transfer funds. Ironically, it was Leonardo who helped persuade Kaka to join Milan from São Paulo in 2003.

Dr Jose Luis Runco, on the medical team at Real, told Spanish newspaper AS that club doctor Juan Carlos Hernandez had met with Kaka to put the final touches to the deal.

But Real Madrid will have to wait before they can parade Kaka at the Santiago Bernabeu due to the 27-year-old’s commitments with Brazil.

After entertaining Paraguay in Recife on Wednesday, Brazil begin their Confederations Cup campaign against Egypt next Monday and will be in action until June 28 if they make it through the tournament.

Source: soccernet.espn.go.com