Source: SKY_Sports
Real retain Xabi hope
Real Madrid's sporting director Miguel Pardeza has confirmed the club are still hoping to land both Xabi Alonso and Alvaro Arbeloa from Liverpool.
Alonso has confirmed that his future at Anfield is far from certain, amid reports he has his heart set on a move to the Spanish capital.
Real have already spent huge amounts of money during the current transfer window splashing out world record transfer fees, firstly on Kaka and then on Cristiano Ronaldo.
But new coach Manuel Pellegrini has long wanted to improve his midfield and Alonso was the man pinpointed early on by Florentino Perez's new regime as the ideal signing.
Reports now claim that the two clubs are closing on agreeing a deal with Real ready to pay €35million (£30million).
On Wednesday, Real completed a deal to bring back Esteban Granero from Getafe, but Pardeza was quick to point out that they he was in no way an alternative to Alonso.
"We do not see him as an alternative to Xabi Alonso as he has other characteristics," declared Pardeza in Publico.
"The problem with Alonso is there are no alternatives, with the way football is evolving, the creative central midfielder is becoming fewer and fewer.
"Alonso is not a fad, there are just not may alternatives - not in the Americas or in Europe are their players who can perform his task."
Pardeza admits talks with Liverpool have not been easy.
He added: "They stalled, from day one - the demands of Liverpool were beyond what Madrid was willing to pay and that is very difficult to understand.
"That is not the way to get things done, but I have not given up hope we can solve this."
Pardeza admits that then ongoing situation at Anfield regarding Javier Mascherano, who has been linked with a move to Barcelona, does complicate Alonso's desire to leave.
"As I said I do not believe this [Alonso] will be an easy situation to solve, and I don't for one minute think that Mascherano will be easier to move than Alonso," he added.
He also confirmed that Alonso's team-mate Arbeloa was still in their sights.
"On Arbeloa, that is an option which - for the time being - has
come to nothing," he said
"Liverpool do not really have the desire to let him go, even though he has just a year left on his contract.
"But there is a month to go in the market and anything can change, and I would not deny that we would very much like to have Arbeloa."
Pardeza did rubbish claims that Rafa Benitez was deliberately stalling when it came to negotiations with Real.
"I do not see that at all, at least with me and Jorge [Valdano, Real director general] he is open and discusses things, I don't see that as a problem at all," he concluded.
Pardeza also confirmed that Real had made no move for Arsenal star Cesc Fabregas.
"It's an option that we have not covered," he said of the Spanish international.