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.

Alonso arrived in Madrid yesterday morning after a fee was agreed between Liverpool and Real Madrid.

He then underwent various tests and met his new team-mates for training yesterday afternoon.

The midfielder is Madrid’s eighth summer signing, taking the Primera Division giants’ spending to over £220m (€260m) in just two months.

Madrid president Florentino Perez has brought in Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka, Raul Albiol, Esteban Granero, Arbeloa, Alvaro Negredo and Karim Benzema as he attempts to build a team capable of challenging Barcelona’s treble winners.

“It’s a very happy day for me,’’ said Alonso. “It’s an important step in my career to come to a club like Real Madrid.

“I’m very happy to be part of this club and I was very excited for this day to arrive.

“It’s the best opportunity for me to develop as a footballer.”

The transfer sees Alonso return to Spain after five years away from his homeland.

And, while he enjoyed his time on Merseyside, the former Real Sociedad player admitted he decided before the end of the season the time was right to move on.

“I am very grateful to Liverpool fans, they were very warm during my five years,” he continued. “It will be really difficult to match their appreciation.

“I really enjoyed those five years.

“But a few months ago I took that decision as I thought it was the right moment to find a fresh challenge, to look for a new club.

“That’s when Real Madrid came along. Luckily a deal has been done and I’m very happy.

“It is a personal challenge I felt is necessary for my football career.

“I felt it was right so I looked for a change, for a new experience, and when Madrid came in, that’s when I decided to come back to Spain.”

Alonso’s departure, coming so close to the start of the season, is a major blow to Liverpool’s title hopes but Benitez was putting a brave face on it last night by talking up Aquilani’s ability.

“Alberto is a very good player and I’m delighted we’ve reached agreement with Roma for his transfer,’’ Benitez said. “Alberto has a winning mentality and great experience in both Serie A and the Champions League.

“He has long been recognised as a top-class talent in Italy, captaining his country at both U19 and U21 levels before establishing himself in the senior national side.”

The one concern for Liverpool is Aquilani’s fitness, and today’s medical will be key to the deal being completed. The player has been sidelined since surgery on his right ankle in May.

Aquilani last featured for Roma on March 11 when the Serie A club crashed out of the Champions League at the hands of Arsenal and the fact he made only 14 league appearances last season because of fitness problems must be a concern at Anfield.

Earlier Benitez revealed he still harboured hopes of keeping Alonso out of the clutches of Real even though the player told him two months ago he wanted to leave.

“We would have liked to have kept him but as soon as he told us that he wanted to leave we started working, looking for players and trying to do the best deal for the club,” said Benitez.

“It has been too long, since May, that he told us he wanted to leave and after the official transfer request we were working very hard.

“The first idea was to keep him, and the second one was to find the best price and the best replacement for us.”