AC Milan have confirmed the departure of Kaka, leaving him free to make his widely anticipated move to Major League soccer expansion franchise Orlando City.
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Kaka, 32, returned for a second spell at Milan in 2013 following underwhelming four-season spell at Real Madrid.
However the Brazilian failed to fully recapture the form that made him a favourite during his earlier time at the club between 2003 and 2009 when he won Serie A, the Champions League, the UEFA Super Cup and the Club World Cup.
On Monday, Milan tweeted: "You'll be forever a red&black heart Kaka! Thank you for everything"
You'll be forever a red&black heart @Kaka! Thank you for everything / Per sempre un cuore rossonero... grazie Ricky pic.twitter.com/VoRKTYJSSm
- AC Milan (@acmilan) June 30, 2014
The Italian side also confirmed the news in a statement bidding farewell to the player they brought to Europe from Sao Paulo in 2003.
It read: "Certain love stories never end, they continue on immense journeys even following a mutual annulment. Because this is the key word: mutual. Because being part of Milan does not only mean wearing the shirt and getting to Milanello every day.
"Being part of Milan means feeling it inside you and transmitting it on the outside. Ciao Ricky, you will never truly leave us. Our story began in 2003 and lasted uninterrupted until today because Kaka, who in May 2011 wrote in an SMS 'We are the champions of Italy' was still part of Milan, even if at that time he was wearing another shirt, with all due respect, of Real Madrid.
"You are beautiful, you are real and you will always have a bond with us with one of those cords that only those who truly love football and those who are passionate about sport and its values really know about. We hope that you will soon be able once again to write us the same SMS as you did that May..."
The 2007 Ballon d'Or winner has terminated his contract with Milan and is now expected to sign for Orlando before returning to Sao Paulo on a six-month loan deal until January 2015 when he will move to the U.S. in time for the new MLS season.
Orlando tweeted this message on Monday
#KomingSoon pic.twitter.com/z2Y1Lqt5VG
- Orlando City SC (@OrlandoCitySC) June 30, 2014
Orlando will join MLS at the start of the 2015 season alongside New York City.
The AC Milan midfielder, who won a World Cup with Brazil in 2002, missed out on a place in Luis Felipe Scolari's 23-man squad for the World Cup.