Mourinho wants Kaka to stay at Madrid

Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho says Kaka is still central to his plans for the rest of the season, despite speculation he may be set to leave.

Reports from France and Spain have suggested the 29-year-old Brazilian is a January transfer target for Paris Saint-Germain, with the Parisians prepared to bid up to 23.5 million euros to take him away from the Santiago Bernabeu.

Mourinho, however, assured supporters the playmaker would be lining up for Real until the end of this season and beyond.

“I will have Kaka until June and the coming season,” Mourinho told AS.

Mourinho could not resist poking fun at Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola, who was named the best coach of 2011 by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics.

“The award given to Guardiola is deserved,” Mourinho said. “I just hope that he does not have to wait too long to receive his prize because I won the same thing in 2010 and they still have not given it to me.”

Real, who top the La Liga standings by three points from rivals Barcelona, take on 13th-placed Granada at home on Saturday, and Mourinho predicted there would be a substantial travelling support in the Spanish capital for the clash.

“It is wonderful to see the Granadans travel so far to see their team in the Bernabeu,” he said.

“In Spain there are not many teams like that, if I was a player or trainer at Granada I would be very proud of the support.”

“We need to win more than they do, because they are already in a good position. I hope that it will be a great game.”