Atletico Madrid are hoping to sign Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso, according to reports from Spain.

The capital outfit are having a successful season in La Liga, currently sitting fourth in the table behind Sevilla, Barcelona and Real Madrid.

And if they can keep young stars like Fernando Torres at the Vicente Calderon, the future looks bright.

According to Spanish daily AS Diario, they're already looking towards next season, with stylish midfielder Alonso one of the key targets.

Atletico have yet to make contact with Liverpool, and the Spanish international has a contract on Merseyside which runs through to 2009.

But despite that, they're reportedly optimistic of landing him in the summer.

Alonso has been a mainstay of Rafael Benitez's Anfield revolution since joining for around £10million from Real Sociedad in the summer of 2004.

He starred in that astonishing Champions League final win over AC Milan in Istanbul in May 2005.

But the prospect of a return home to La Liga and Champions League football with Atletico would be an attractive proposition.