Source: Telegraph
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez holds talks with Xabi Alonso
At a training session ahead of Liverpool's friendly against Singapore tomorrow (Sun), fans waved banners and chanted for Alonso to remain with Liverpool. A group of 21 fans lined up in the stands wearing shirts that spelled out, 'Xabi, please don't leave' in Spanish.
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has made no secret of his desire to see Alonso sporting the Real strip as he continues his summer of spending which has already seen Kaka and Cristiano Ronaldo arrive at the Bernabeu. But throughout the summer, Benitez has held firm on his view that no big names will be leaving Anfield this summer and the Spaniard reiterated this after Liverpool's pre-season match against Tranmere.
"I told him that he could hear the fans yesterday," Benitez said. "I said to him, 'Maybe you have to stay."'
"Clearly, my idea is he's a very good player and we'll be really pleased if he stays. All the players and his team-mates want him to stay. If we keep Xabi I will be very pleased."
Alonso himself gave the strongest hint yet that he is ready to snub Real's advances and remain a Liverpool player after admitting he and his team mates will have to reach the 90 point mark next season if they are to have any chance of ending their near two decade long wait to be crowned Premier League champions.
Despite clinching a 86 points last campaign - a club record - Liverpool still finished four points off Manchester United.
Suggesting he wants to play a part in making history on Merseyside, Alonso believes the club has what it takes to compete with the top four, but said Liverpool lost too many vital points in unexpected home draws.
"It is very difficult to win the Premier League," he told the Liverpool Daily Post. "But if we do things better than last season then we will have a good chance.
"We did really well against the top four teams but we drew too many games at home which meant we weren't in a strong position going into the last few matches.
"At the start of last season we wanted to progress and we did that - we were not able to win it but we went a lot closer that in previous seasons. This season we have to be looking to get up to 90 points - we certainly have the belief."
