Marinos shocked by Cafu's indecision

Marinos will send a formal letter to ask the 32-year-old to clarify earlier comments that he is still undecided about his future when his contract with Roma expires this summer.

"We have a formal contract with him. We will enquire with him in writing, in a day or two, about his true intentions," said Masami Kimura, a public relations officer for the club.

"We will then consider what to do."

Katsunori Nakamura, Marinos' managing director, told the Japanese press that he is shocked by Cafu´s reported comments.

"It is very shocking if he really said so. We need to verify it immediately," he said.

He also added that Cafu had signed a contract with Marinos which was confirmed by their attorneys as legally binding.

The club announced in January that Cafu had signed a two-and-a-half-year deal worth nearly £2.2 million.

But Cafu's agent Ivano Antonelli claims the experienced full back has not inked a lucrative deal to move to the Far East in the summer.

He concedes Marinos have made the World Cup-winning captain an attractive offer but the recent Sars outbreak in Asia has prompted Cafu to have doubts about a transfer.

Antonelli said: "Cafu had decided to go to Japan but then Sars blew up and now he's thinking another time.

"Marcos has signed nothing, there is nothing bound to the Japanese. Yokohama's offer was, and is, excellent but now there are these new problems."

Milan have also shown an interest in the World Cup winner.