Source: Daily_Mail
Real boss pleads with president Perez to wrap up deal for Liverpool star Xabi
Real Madrid boss Manuel Pellegrini and the club's dealmaker Jorge Valdano have urged club president Florentino Perez to find the funds to sign Xabi Alonso.
Perez believes the Liverpool midfielder is still overpriced, even though reports in Spain say his asking price has dropped as low as £26.5million after starting at more than £40m just a few weeks ago.
Alonso is seen as a one of a dying breed of versatile attacking midfielders and Pellegrini and Valdano believe the 27-year-old is fundamental to their plans.
Madrid are increasingly frustrated by their inability to cut their bloated squad.
Perez is reluctant to pay more than £23.5m up front with further fees dependent on appearances and success in the Champions League.
Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez is understood to have told Alonso he will not stand in the way of a move if he receives an acceptable bid in the next few days, but Madrid are ignoring an ultimatum to wrap up a deal before the former Real Sociedad player is due back on Merseyside for training on Thursday.
Alonso's agent Inaki Ibanez was in Madrid on Tuesday to also try to convince the Spaniards to up their offer, while the player himself is taking a break in San Sebastien before flying back to England late on Wednesday.
His former Anfield team-mate Jerzy Dudek, who joined Madrid two years ago, says Alonso is desperate to join him at the Bernabeu and made the ridiculous claim that every Spaniard wanted to play for Los Merengues.
Fernando Torres might not agree, but Dudek said: 'He is Spanish and all the Spanish guys want to play for Real Madrid. This is a dream come true for them and Xabi knows that he's not the only one.
'I spoke to him (Alonso) just before the holidays. He is a very nice lad and he knows what is the best for him. But he cannot do anything without Benitez.
'So I don't know (what will happen), but he is a good player without question, one of the best midfielders in the world.'
Alvaro Arbeloa will have a medical on Wednesday ahead of completing a £3.5m move from Liverpool to Real Madrid.
