ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE TRANSFER NEWS: XABI ALONSO sought to bring his move to Real Madrid closer yesterday by handing Liverpool a formal transfer request but the two clubs are yet to reach an agreement.
Although Madrid consider Alonso fundamental to their plans their president, Florentino Perez, remains reluctant to meet Liverpool’s price. Rafael Benitez is determined not to cede ground, with around €5 million separating the two sides.
In taking the first public step, Alonso is hopeful of forcing the two clubs to broker a deal.
Real Madrid have made an offer of €24 million for Alonso, while Liverpool originally quoted €40million – even though Benitez had been keen to sell him to Juventus for half that amount while he pursued Gareth Barry last summer.
Having missed out on Barry, Benitez is holding out for €30 million plus incentives which would see the total exceed €33 million. Perez, though, has resisted increasing his offer above €25 million.
The departure of Alonso, who is the Liverpool fans’ player of the year, would be a blow for the club.
Fernando Torres recently said it would be a “serious loss” if his compatriot were to depart.
Liverpool would then turn their attention to the Wigan midfielder Lee Cattermole, while there have also been negotiations with the Roma midfielder Alberto Aquilani.
Javier Mascherano’s brother, meanwhile, has revealed the Liverpool midfielder wants to join Barcelona – but admitted he will probably be forced to stay at Anfield.
Sebastian Mascherano said: “Javier wants to go to Barcelona. That would be the best thing for him and his family. I am sure he and Leo Messi have spoken about it. Leo is one of those who is most insistent on Javier playing for Barcelona. Hopefully, the opportunity will arrive.”
Arsene Wenger is closing in on the €9.4 million capture of Blaise Matuidi from St Etienne and he is also expected to talk to Patrick Vieira in the coming days about the former Arsenal captain making a dramatic return to the club.
The manager, who has signed Thomas Vermaelen from Ajax for €11.8 million but raised €46 million through the sales of Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Adebayor to Manchester City, has confirmed he has money available, although he added it had to be spent “in the right way”, ie with prudence.
Wenger has monitored the progress of the 22-year-old Matuidi for the best part of three seasons, with his chief scout in France, the former Arsenal player Gilles Grimandi, urging him to move for the central midfielder.
Matuidi, a graduate of the Clairefontaine academy and a former mainstay of the France under-21 team, would appear the archetypal Wenger signing, quick and intelligent, with good technique and passing ability.
St Etienne’s sporting director is Damien Comolli, who served as Wenger’s European scout at Arsenal for seven seasons before he went to work for Tottenham Hotspur. The pair have remained close, and Comolli, who has just overseen the €17.5 sale of the striker Bafetimbi Gomis to Lyon, has conceded “it would be difficult to prevent Matuidi from leaving if a top-10 European side came in for him”.
Matuidi has said he feels the time is right to seek a fresh challenge.
The possibility of Vieira, now at Internazionale, also moving to Arsenal sounds outlandish, but the proposition has been mooted by middlemen. Wenger, who is a mentor and confidant to Vieira, will raise the issue when the pair next speak.
Even though Vieira left Arsenal in 2005 after nine seasons, the 33-year-old continues to have the utmost respect for Wenger and his return would also be welcomed in the dressingroom, where Vieira has remained in touch with his fellow Frenchmen William Gallas, Mikael Silvestre, and Gael Clichy, as well as the captain, Cesc Fabregas. His experience could help to galvanise a young squad.
Tottenham had made a move for Vieira, and their interest in him remains alive, although the midfielder has reservations about playing for Arsenal’s local rivals.
There is also the option of his staying put at Inter, which did not exist two months ago when the manager, Jose Mourinho, frustrated by Vieira’s wretched luck with injuries and inconsistent form, was prepared to usher him towards the exit.
Vieira has since enjoyed one of his fullest pre-seasons for some time and feels fighting fit for the new campaign.
Guardian Service
