The Xabi Alonso Transfer Saga…

75. Xabi Alonso A couple of weeks ago, all the pundits claimed that the proposed move of Xabi Alonso to Real Madrid was almost a done deal, as the midfielder was said to have requested a move to the Bernabeu.

However, a lot has gone on since then, and the Spanish giants are reportedly unwilling to meet the Reds’ valuation of the player, which stands at a lofty £35 million. As the ‘White House’ resolve to land the playmaker appears to be in its testing phase, the Daily Mail believes that at least two other Premier League clubs are hot on the heels of the player who currently calls Anfield home.

The clubs in question are said to be Chelsea and Manchester City, who have reportedly made contact with the player’s agents about a month ago. It appears unlikely that the 27-year-old will choose to go to Manchester, since Merseyside can offer him Champions League football. The ex-Real Sociedad midfielder may not fancy a stint with the Pensioners either, due to the fact that it would make little sense in moving to a rival club in the top four.

If the Spaniards refuse to budge on their bid, and the player is as unsettled as the reports claim, Rafa Benitez may choose to let go of the fellow Spaniard to the lesser of the two evils, which would at present be the Citizens. This would benefit the player as well, since a transfer to Eastlands and a lucrative pay check appear to go hand in hand considering the financial status of the newly rich.

The transfer may ultimately boil down to whether Xabi Alonso wants to move, and move outside England, or if he is unsettled enough at Liverpool to want a fresh challenge with another side in the Premiership.