Liverpool's Xabi unsure of long-term future
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REAL MADRID reckon they will finally land Xabi Alonso in a £23million swoop — as soon as Florentino Perez is elected their president again.
The Spanish giants are very positive about reaching an agreement with Liverpool for the midfield playmaker.
Reds chief Rafa Benitez does not want to lose Alonso but knows he must sell to raise funds for all his summer targets. And Alonso, who nearly left a year ago, is on Real’s wanted list.
Perez is hot favourite to return to the Bernabeu as president in the elections on June 17 and tried hard to sign the player five years ago.
Alonso’s agent Inaki Ibanez met the then Real supremo but no deal could be agreed and he eventually moved to Anfield from Real Sociedad for £10million.
Yet Perez has remained a huge fan and knows Benitez will listen to offers if the price is right.
Liverpool say they do not want to do business and a spokesman insisted: “There has been no contact. The player is not for sale.”
But the reality is that Benitez would consider selling virtually any player — except Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres — for the right money.
Offloading Alonso would go a long way towards helping him land targets like David Silva, Gareth Barry, Glen Johnson and even Carlos Tevez.
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hope not.
liverpool needs alonso around next season..........
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Johnson the target: Benitez in £15m bid to capture Portsmouth and England defender
Hot property: Glen Johnson will be wanted by many clubs.
Liverpool have launched a fresh £15million bid to land Portsmouth right back Glen Johnson. Manager Rafa Benitez identified the England defender as a target this season but did not have anywhere near the budget to land the player.
However, Portsmouth still owe around £7m from the £12m transfer of striker Peter Crouch last summer, and Benitez hopes to use that to good effect in his bargaining for Johnson.
The 24-year-old former Chelsea defender signed an improved four-year contract in January but would jump at the chance of a move to Anfield as Benitez looks to add key signings in preparation for a renewed assault on the Barclays Premier League title.
The Spaniard has been encouraged by his side's progress this season and knows his recruitment this summer is pivotal to Liverpool finally toppling fierce rivals Manchester United.
Pompey's financial problems - with owner Sacha Gaydamak still looking for a buyer - mean they will want to drive the price as high as possible, and Liverpool are wary of being dragged into an auction with other clubs.
Tottenham are known to be interested in Johnson, and there will be other bidders with easier access to funds than Benitez. Liverpool have earmarked a chunk of their squad as being disposable this summer, and the manager accepts he will have to offload players to fund the signings he wants, which could slow the process.
With Aston Villa midfielder Gareth Barry and United's Carlos Tevez also on his wish list, Benitez might be forced to prioritise and that could jeopardise the Johnson deal.
One way of raising funds would be to sell Xabi Alonso amid growing interest from Real Madrid. If Benitez decides to sell the Spain midfielder, he would rather do business with Real but he is also weighing up other options.
Allowing Alonso to leave would be unpopular within the Liverpool dressing room and also among fans, who voiced their displeasure over plans to sell him to Juventus last summer to finance a deal for Barry.
They repeatedly chanted for Alonso and against Barry, and both deals subsequently fell through over differences in valuations. But, while Juventus refused to pay £16m after weeks of haggling, Real are unlikely to balk at Liverpool's asking price as they prepare for a new era under president-elect Florentino Perez.
Real are keen to revive their fortunes after trailing Barcelona in La Liga this season and crashing out to Liverpool in the Champions League.
After being heavily criticised by fans for ditching their interest in Alonso and settling instead for the cheaper option of Denmark's Christian Poulsen, Juve could yet re-enter the race and launch a second attempt to sign the 27-year-old.
Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina last night added more fuel to the controversy over Alonso's possible departure by hailing his form as the main reason for the Merseyside club running United so close in this season's title race.
Reina said: 'Xabi is the player who always seems to have the ball at his feet. He has shown repeatedly that he can pass it five yards or 45, and every time it is just as good, just as accurate.
'This has been his best season so far for Liverpool, and that was the reason why we managed to push United so far in the title race.'
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No.. please keep alonso.
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shoo lah, RM
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aiyah, with RM holding their presidental thingy, everyone becomes a target..if only they can bring messi over.. that's so much like Figo.
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alonso is very crucial in liverpool's midfield.please dont sell him. his role cannot be replaced so easily.
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Originally posted by iceFatboy:
aiyah, with RM holding their presidental thingy, everyone becomes a target..if only they can bring messi over.. that's so much like Figo.
But I think Alonso is very different... He is after all a Spaniard... Real Madrid would want more Spanish players in their squad too as they currently only have 3 i think in their squad and who else better than Alonso at this moment is available to them?Alonso is a very good player, he is what Paul Scholes was to United a few year ago... I find that he is not given enough credit cos everyone only mention Gerrard and Torres... But if he leave, I belief his absence would be felt... Cos long range passing is far better than these 2, and he can play just as well as an attacking midfielder or a defensive midfielder... And because of his attacking qualities, he can make good pass from a defensive midfielder's position too... another plus I guess...
Rafa should forget about Barry and keep him... He is only 27 yrs old... The right age and can go on for another 5 yrs as his game isn't just about speed and power... He is more classified as a creative player i think... Barry 28 and will be 29 halfway through the season... And Barry's game is based alot on running...
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rafa shld keep alonso... he shld offload lucas or kuyt...
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Originally posted by Aang:
rafa shld keep benitez… he shld offload lucas or kuyt…
rafa should keep alonso you mean?
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ya ya... paiseh.. thx for correcting me
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Originally posted by Aang:
rafa shld keep alonso… he shld offload lucas or kuyt…
well ... this money too good to refuse . Anyway ..... i respect the mgr's decision . -
if swap sneijder with alonso + 10M i willing to let him go
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fuck u (that wad my bro say to RM)
Liverpool do not sell Alonso i repeat do not sell him -
lucas can go... kuyt should stay.. every team needs a stamina bull that run like crazy=d
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i dunno , i felt safe if Rafa gets Barry in place for Alonso .
Plus Mascherano . Liverpool 2 dynamos infront of the back line , will be good .
It depends on Barry .
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barry is sort of run whole game de
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not willing to see alonso leave liverpool. he is realli good.can u rem how many players got sent off because they cant get the ball from alonso.
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Originally posted by Poolman:
i dunno , i felt safe if Rafa gets Barry in place for Alonso .
Plus Mascherano . Liverpool 2 dynamos infront of the back line , will be good .
It depends on Barry .
Yah, if can sell Alonso for at least £25m, then that's good. Barry for £10m... -
FULLBACK OF CHOICE ... Glen Johnson
HARRY REDKNAPP and Rafa Benitez are slugging it out for England defender Glen Johnson.
Spurs boss Redknapp is a huge admirer of Portsmouth star Johnson.
He resurrected the player’s career, taking him to Pompey two years ago after a move to Chelsea went wrong.
Johnson, 24, is now England chief Fabio Capello’s first-choice right-back and is rated at around £12million.
Both Redknapp and Liverpool boss Benitez know Pompey are in serious financial difficulties and have to sell players this summer to survive.
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hmm, i read RM has some problems with banks, hence, their failure to secure Ronaldo.
And it may means no money for their new president.. :P
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Real Madrid Hand off Alonso
go buy ur Valencia la -
£18m midfielder on way out
Rafa Benitez will use cash to bid for Carlos Tevez
XABI ALONSO has stunned Liverpool by admitting he wants to quit Anfield.
The Spanish midfielder is ready to hand in a written transfer request.
His agent Inaki Ibanez met Rafa Benitez on Friday to inform the manager of Alonso's wish to leave. And despite the Merseyside giants insisting they do not want to sell him, Alonso's stance will trigger an auction for the 27-year-old.
Real Madrid, Arsenal, Manchester City and Juventus have tried to buy Alonso in the last 12 months and Madrid will be favourites this time.
But Benitez will start the bidding at £18million and use the cash to try to sign Manchester United's Carlos Tevez.
Alonso's relationship with Benitez deteriorated during the courting of Aston Villa's Gareth Barry.
A friend of Alonso said: "Xabi loves Liverpool but he doesn't feel he can stay. He has not been happy for a long time and wants to go somewhere he feels he can enjoy his football again."
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merepek
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wth lawls.. why he want to quit?