Real Madrid No2 Aitor Karanka insists there's a place in coach Jose Mourinho's plans for Kaka.

Kaka was being touted to several clubs before Friday's transfer deadline.

Karanka said: "The manager has never been anything but clear about the player's situation and if it turned out that he would be staying, as is finally the case, he is going to be just another member of the squad and will be treated as such, because that will be the best for the team.

"We have to give him all the encouragement we can and I'm sure there will be many games in which he will play an important role for us, just as he did last season. We need him in a season as long and hard as this one promises to be."