Source: Eurosport
Alonso future up in the air
Xabi Alonso is due to fly back to Spain with Liverpool on Saturday as the negotiations over his possible transfer drag on.
Liverpool are playing in a friendly against Espanyol on Sunday to open the Barcelona club's new stadium and at the moment Alonso is expected to be in the travelling party.
A final decision is likely to be taken after the squad have trained Saturday morning ahead of an afternoon flight. But with both Liverpool and prospective buyers Real Madrid digging their heels in over the fee for the 27-year-old international, a decision on the deal is now not expected until Monday.
Real are believed to now have offered players in part-exchange while Chelsea, Manchester City and an unnamed Italian club are still monitoring the situation.
But Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez is still demanding £30million for the Spanish international and has previously said that he is not interested in taking any Real players in the deal and wants a cash-only agreement.
The players on offer are Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, Alvaro Negredo and Rafael van der Vaart.
Alonso handed in a transfer request earlier this week, and is known to want to make his Madrid debut in his home town of San Sebastian on August 15, when the Bernabeu club play in Real Sociedad's centenary match. Alonso started his career with the Basque club.
Reports in Italy claim that midfielder Alberto Aquilani has been lined up as Alonso's replacement. Cash-strapped Roma are willing to sell for around £15million and the player is happy with a five-year contract worth around 4million euros a year.
But formal negotiations cannot take place until the Alonso deal is settled.
