Source: Telegraph
Liverpool to recoup £10m from sales of Alvaro Arbeloa and Andrea Dossena
Reports in Spain suggest a fee of around £4.5 million has been agreed with Real Madrid for Arbeloa, a former youth team player with the Spanish club, with the Spanish international describing the deal as “close to being finalised.”
Speaking in Madrid, where he has travelled after the Liverpool squad were given three days’ break, the defender said: “At the moment I’m focused on Liverpool, but it is true that the move is close. We will see what happens in the next few days, and we will all make an effort to see if we can reach a satisfactory ending for everyone, which is what we all want.
Related Articles
*
Alonso valuation 'unrealistic'
*
Grenade found outside Kenny Dalglish's home
*
Liverpool owners agree debt deal
*
Liverpool brush aside Singapore
*
Pre-season friendlies guide
*
Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez defends £17m fee for Portsmouth?s Glen Johnson
“I don’t know whether it’s 90 per cent finished – that is a matter for the clubs – but what I understand is that everything’s going well and there’s not much more to do. Everything should be done this week.”
His team-mate Dossena, meanwhile, is understood to be close to a move to Napoli after Liverpool accepted a bid of around £5 million. The player is believed to be keen to return to his homeland after a difficult first season in England after his £7 million move from Udinese and personal terms are unlikely to pose a problem.
His agent, Roberto La Florio, said: “Liverpool have accepted the offer from Aurelio De Laurentiis [the Napoli president]. Putting pen to paper is now a matter of days. The two clubs are in agreement and as soon as Napoli call us, we will seal everything.”
The future of Xabi Alonso, though, remains shrouded in mystery. The player returned to Spain yesterday afternoon, flying from Liverpool to Madrid’s Barajas airport before travelling to San Sebastian, where he will spend time with his family.
Reports in the Spanish press today suggest that Rafa Benitez, the Liverpool manager, had told the player he would not stand in his way if he wished to move to Real Madrid but insisted that any deal be agreed before Alonso is due to return to Liverpool on Thursday.
Madrid’s president Florentino Perez yesterday reaffirmed his refusal to meet Liverpool’s £30 million asking price – he is unwilling to pay more than £24 million – but the player’s apparent desire to leave may force the two clubs to come to a compromise.
