The Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez has admitted for the first time that he is interested in signing the Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso as part of a major summer overhaul of the Spanish giants' squad. The Brazilian playmaker Kaka is expected to finalise his world record-breaking move from Milan to Madrid today and Pérez has indicated that he would also be interested in adding the 27-year-old Alonso to the growing ranks of superstars at the Bernabéu.
"Xabi is a magnificent Spanish player, so of course we'd love to have him," Pérez told the Times. "But everything would involve reaching an agreement with [the Liverpool manager] Rafael Benítez. It will need to be an agreement that is in the best interests of both clubs."
Benítez has repeatedly expressed his intention to keep Alonso at Liverpool and the midfielder still has three years left on his current contract. But Alonso is also thought to be keen on a move to his native Spain and has previously sounded out Benítez about a transfer.
The Liverpool manager, however, named Alonso as a key member of the "spine" of his team and is likely to attempt to block any move for one of last season's best performers.
"We are working very hard to keep the spine of the team – that was always the idea," said Benítez in an interview with Liverpool's official magazine. "We have Pepe Reina as the No1 goalkeeper with Diego Cavalieri behind him, another good goalkeeper. Then we have [Martin] Skrtel, [Jamie] Carragher and [Daniel] Agger – three good centre-backs. Then you go to the midfield with Alonso, [Javier] Mascherano, Lucas and [Steven] Gerrard, with [Fernando] Torres up front and [David] Ngog, who is a very good prospect. We have a good squad that is still young, so hopefully we can improve further."
A possible fee of £22m has been reported for any potential transfer, although Liverpool – and Benítez in particular – are likely to value him much higher.
Hull City have had a bid for Fraizer Campbell, understood to be in the region of £6m, accepted by Manchester United.
The 21-year-old striker enjoyed a successful loan stint at the KC Stadium during the 2007-08 season when he scored 15 goals in 32 starts, playing a significant part in helping Phil Brown's side earn promotion to the Premier League.
Brown wanted to buy Campbell last summer and made a £7m offer but Sir Alex Ferguson instead opted to retain him as a Manchester United player before sending him on loan to Tottenham Hotspur as part of the Dimitar Berbatov deal. Campbell did not impress at Spurs, however, and has also now fallen down the pecking order at Old Trafford.
