Alonso happy Pool and Real are finally talking seriously

zocoss SG

Liverpool have refused to budge but their hand may now be forced as the Spain international has made his intentions clear.

Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso has reportedly handed in a transfer request at Anfield to ensure he gets his move to Real Madrid this summer.

Liverpool have refused to budge from an asking price for Alonso in the region of £30m, which has stalled any potential move to the Bernabeu, but their hand may now be forced as the Spain international has made his intentions clear.

Alonso has been at the centre of a long-running transfer saga as La Liga giants Madrid have made no secret of their desire to secure a deal.

Speculation suggests a fee will be struck with Madrid within the next couple of days for a sum reported to be in the region of £25m.

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has said publicly he doesn't want to sell Alonso, especially as Javier Mascherano was said to be interesting Barcelona.

Alonso is eager to join Real, rather than spend another season playing for Benitez, a manager with whom he no longer has a relationship, but has not, until now, confirmed his desire to leave Anfield in writing.

Alonso signed from Real Socieded for £10.5m in 2004 shortly after Benitez arrived at the club, and appeared to on his way out last summer as Liverpool chased Gareth Barry's signature.

Some reports claim it is that saga that prompted Alonso's request to leave Anfield, with Real Madrid his preferred destination.

zocoss SG

Torres wants Alonso to stay

Striker Fernando Torres has insisted it would be "a serious loss to Liverpool" if Xabi Alonso completed a move to Real Madrid.

Benitez has threatened to pull the plug on negotiations if Madrid do not meet his £30million valuation of the player before the weekend - and Torres is hoping his compatriot stays with the club.

"It would be a bad piece of work if Xabi left - he plays his cards close to his chest so I don't know what is going to happen," Torres told The Sun.

"I'd put Xabi's own wishes ahead of everything else, of course, but he's got three years left on his contract with us and I'd love it if he stays.

"It would be a serious loss for Liverpool if he left this summer."

Dudek claimed a move to Real Madrid would represent a "dream come true" for Alonso. "He is Spanish and all the Spanish guys want to play for Real Madrid.

Torres' views are in stark contrast to former Reds goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek, who yesterday claimed a move to Real Madrid would represent a "dream come true" for Alonso.

Dudek, now the back-up goalkeeper to Iker Casillas at the Bernabeu, said: "He is Spanish and all the Spanish guys want to play for Real Madrid.

"This is a dream come true for them and Xabi knows that he's not the only one."

zocoss SG

Javier Mascherano

Seeing red: Javier Mascherano is causing Liverpool problems

Javier Mascherano's brother has poured more misery on Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez by reiterating the Argentina captain's desire to leave Anfield.

Benitez looks set to lose his battle to keep Xabi Alonso from Real Madrid's clutches and has another battle trying to keep Mascherano happy on Merseyside.

Mascherano's agent Walter Tamer has already made it clear that the 25-year-old is 'tired of life' in England, though the club are prepared to triple his wages to make him see things differently.

But with Barcelona keen to make the former West Ham man their midfielder anchor, Sebastian Mascherano told Spain's COM Radio: 'If Barcelona really come with a very good cash offer, I believe Javier may leave Liverpool as it would be the best for him and his family. 'But I think that if there is no good offer, they will not let him go."

Sebastian believes that one of the reasons his brother wants to go to Nou Camp is to link up with Argentina colleague Lionel Messi, who has not hidden his desire for Mascherano to join the European champions.

'I am sure Messi and Javier have spoken,' he said. 'Leo is one of the people who have been pushing the most for Javier to play at Barca.'

Benitez will be determined to keep Mascherano if Alonso's move to Spain goes through as expected.

Unhappy Javier? Mascherano (centre) shares a joke with team-mates in Singapore at the weekend

Barcelona do not have the desire to splash cash around in the way that Real Madrid have this summer and are already looking at alternatives.

Mascherano is the first choice of coach Pep Guardiola and technical secretary Txiki Begiristain, but they have all but given up on signing him or second choice, Arsenal skipper Cesc Fabregas, because they would bust their budget.

Compatriot: Barcelona star Lionel Messi

After shelling out £39m plus Samuel Eto'o for Inter Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the Catalans have been hit by news that they must pay another £4.25m to the Italians because Alexander Hleb did not keep his part of the bargain, refusing to go to the San Siro on loan for a year.

Former Arsenal winger Hleb is instead heading to Stuttgart.

Barca, who already have Yaya Toure, Seydou Keita and Sergi Busquets as holding midfielders are now looking at Plan B: to recruit a cheaper, up-and-coming player.

They have identified AZ Alkmaar's Mendes da Silva, Galatasaray's Mehmet Topal and Ajax's Jan Vertonghen as alternatives.

The X-factor would be if they decided to take a gamble on future earnings and splash out on Mascherano after all.

The mayor of Barcelona has approved a land deal that would see Barca selling off their Mini Estadi and other sites for an estimated £260m.

However, much of the funds have already been earmarked for improvements to the Nou Camp that would see an increase in capacity and the addition of a roof designed by Sir Norman Foster.

duanyuqiao SG

seem like.

no one want to stay in england/liverpool

diablo4343 SG

poor liverpool. but players who ain't tiong sim. let them go = better than they dont play their hearts out for them. But hey football is a career to them when they reach a certain age they cant run that fast score so much anymore. now their piority is to earn money.

zocoss SG

Mascherano is only on $30k a week... Given today's standard, its quite a joke. No wonder he wants to go to Barce... Cos even Mikel gets almost double than him at Chelsea... Or even worse, even Nicky Butt gets twise as much at Newcastle... lol

If Pool want to keep him, triple his pay lah, not that they have no money...

diablo4343 SG

i hope mascherano goes to barca

CannyOng SG

Liverpool shall never buy Spanish players. In the end, they will like to go back home and play football. Just like an English player who will long to go back to EPL. Nothing wrong. Plus La Liga got 2 super clubs. RM and Barcelona. Any top soccer player of the world will love play for them.

Liverpool may have improve due to Spanish link. But it will always be a English club.

One fine day, Torres will also want to be backk for Spain. Definitely not for RM but maybe for Barcelona.

Liverpool shall stick to what they are good at. Local english boy for talent.

Poolman SG

it's ok ..

when it's time to go , u just have to go .

when it's time to let go , u just have to let go .

purpledragon84 SG

wah.. everybody see the players go rich, spend-like-no-tmr clubs they also want to go..

zocoss SG

If Pool allow Alonso to leave, I belief their chance of winning the title also leave with him... He was their best player last year, even better than Gerrard for me... I guess their best chance of winning the title was last season. But Rafa's rant spoilt everything... This season i feel Chelsea has the best chance with Ronaldo gone now...

zocoss SG

Xabi Alonso

CHEERIO ... Xabi's set to wave goodbye

Kop boss Rafa Benitez wanted £30m but will accept slightly less after conceding defeat in his battle to keep him. A Bernabeu source said: "We expect a positive solution between the clubs in the next few days."

Losing Alonso will be a blow to Benitez but he will use some of the cash to make a £12m raid for Wigan's England Under-21 star Lee Cattermole.

The Latics turned down a bid from Sunderland for their prized asset last week. But they are unlikely to stand in his way if Liverpool come calling.

Roma's Alberto Aquilina and Athletic Bilbao's Javier Martinez are possible replacements. Benitez could also launch a raid for Alonso's Spanish team-mate David Villa, despite the striker saying he wants to remain with Valencia.

Alonso hopes his exit can be arranged hastily. But full-back Alvaro Arbeloa, who has completed his £3.5m switch from Liverpool to Real, said: "It wasn't easy for me to get here because Rafa defends his interests hard.

"I also understand he is currently coaching the team and that he's left negotiations aside for now. "I hope Xabi joins because he is a good player and a good friend."

citymax SG

i still dun wish to see Alonso go...but since his heart is not with Liverpool..i think he shld just leave quietly and i wish him all the best.

ViNnO SG

Not surprised if both of them leave lol, there alot crazy transfer this yr anw. First kaka, then follow ronaldo, benzema, ibra~~~~~

Patrik SG

Haiz.

Liverpool gone case liao.

Redster SG

damn.. dont feel like watching football already

psycho_max SG

alonso deserved the move to real. why should he stay with a club that desperately try to sell him at one time.

limpper SG

Real Madrid are willing to offer Liverpool the choice of players in their bid for Xabi Alonso.

The Daily Mail says Madrid have struggled to offload players and are prepared to offer Liverpool one of Alvaro Negredo, Rafael van der Vaart or Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, according to reports in Spain.

Anfield boss Rafa Benitez is thought to have some interest in 23-year-old Negredo, but with Madrid valuing the striker at about £15m, Liverpool would prefer to take the cash.

Liverpool and Real Madrid are just £2.5million apart as they go into the final stretch of this summer-long saga.

R3SsH|n SG

if can take gago i will say yes immediatly

limpper SG

There is some confusion over whether Xabi Alonso has actually handed in a transfer request at Liverpool.

The usually reliable Liverpool Echo reported yesterday morning that Alonso had given the club a written transfer request, something that sources at Anfield confirmed to the Press Association yesterday afternoon.

All that apparently remained was for Real Madrid to come up with around £28million and the deal would be complete, but reports this morning suggest it might not be quite as clear cut.

The Times, a paper that has been convinced of Alonso's departure all summer, reports that the midfielder has not formally requested a move.

The paper reports: 'Sources at Liverpool said that Alonso submitted a transfer request on Wednesday evening in an effort to hasten a move to Real, but the suggestions were dismissed by Alonso's representatives, who insisted that the player had taken no such action.'

The Times also claims that a 48-hour deadline put in place by Rafa Benitez has expired, while The Guardian reports that Liverpool are holding out for over £30million for the player.

The Sun is rather more certain that a deal will be done, predicting that Alonso's move could be wrapped up as early as Monday.

There has been no official confirmation from either party on whether a transfer request has been submitted.

If Alonso does leave Anfield, Lee Cattermole, Athletic Bilbao's Javi Martinez and Alberto Aquilani have all been mentioned in the press as potential replacements.

Meanwhile, Alvaro Arbeloa, who completed his own move to Real on Thursday, is quoted in The Sun as saying: "I hope Xabi joins because he is a good player and a good friend."

- Football365