Real unveil Alonso as Reds agree Aquilani fee

XABI ALONSO was presented as a Real Madrid player last night as Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez moved quickly to fill void left by the Spanish midfielder’s departure.

The Basque midfielder joins Madrid from Liverpool for around £30 million (€35m) on a five-year contract and was unveiled at the Bernabeu last night. And while Real Madrid were celebrating finally getting their man after one of the summer’s most protracted transfer sagas, Liverpool were agreeing a fee for Roma’s young midfield star Alberto Aquilani.

The 25-year-old will have a medical today.