Soccer:Liverpool have reached agreement with Roma to sign midfielder Alberto Aquilani for a fee believed to be £20million (€24m).

The signing comes just hours after Xabi Alonso passed his medical at Real Madrid and completed a £30million (€35m) move to the Bernabeu after five years at Anfield.

It has become clear that the two deals were being negotiated in tandem. Once Liverpool had completed the Alonso transfer, and received the first cash instalment, they were been able to complete the deal for a player to replace the Spaniard in boss Rafael Benitez's squad.