Goodbye Arbeloa

Jamie Zawinski SG

LIVERPOOL AGREE ARBELOA TRANSFER

Liverpool today confirmed they have reached agreement with Real Madrid for the transfer of Alvaro Arbeloa to the La Liga side.

A Liverpool spokesman said: "We have agreed a fee with Real Madrid for the transfer of the player, subject to him completing a medical."

Jamie Zawinski SG

Liverpool's Arbeloa passes Madrid medical

Liverpool have agreed a fee with Real Madrid for full-back Alvaro Arbeloa and the player has passed his medical at the Bernabeu.

Alvaro Arbeloa in action against Real Madrid

The deal is worth £3.5m and Madrid's medical chief Carlos Diez told his club's website: ''He (Arbeloa) has undergone a standard examination and the results of all the tests are very satisfactory.

''He is delighted to be able to play for Real Madrid, which has been his lifelong dream. He`s looking forward to joining his team-mates.''

The deal is set to go through and underlines that the 26-year-old's move will not, as had been claimed, form part of a double deal that would also take Xabi Alonso to the Catalan club.

Arbeloa is in the final year of his contract, having joined Liverpool for £2.6m from Deportivo La Coruna in January 2007. He played 99 games for the club and scored two goals.

Liverpool consider the deal to be good business considering the player could leave for nothing next summer, and manager Benitez now has plenty of other options at right-back.

Benitez has already spent £17.5m on England full-back Glen Johnson, who would have taken Arbeloa's place in the side.

Liverpool also have Swiss international Philipp Degen now fit after rib and lung injuries ruled him out for all of last season, while Jamie Carragher has also filled in effectively at right-back.

Liverpool are also expected to soon announce the departure of Italian defender Andrea Dossena to Napoli.

Poolman SG

In fact i like Arbeloa ... the things that make me remember , it's the fight betwen him and Carrgaher .

Could it be the reason why he left ?

But i would think it's playing for Real Madrid that make him want to leave , not the fight .

Any Spanish would want to play for Real , it's a prestige man ....

Poolman SG

to me , arbeloa was indeed a very good man-marker , i remember him man-mark Ronaldinho successfully against Barcelona a few seasons back , in a UCL match .

Poolman SG

he left with 1 year of his contract , and he's not signing anymore , rather than to lose him for nothing , it's better to offload and make ►£3m .

X-men SG

He's a decent player... thank you Arbeloa for your contribution.

longchiambutz SG

cld’ve been a good cover for johnson; n now even for the centre area.

well….all the best to him at Real!!!