Liverpool finally agree to sell Xabi Alonso to Real Madrid

Xabi Alonso is poised to seal his protracted move from Liverpool to Real Madrid tomorrow after the clubs agreed a fee believed to be around £30m for the Spain midfielder.

A statement on Liverpool's website this evening read: "Liverpool Football Club have reached agreement for the sale of Xabi Alonso to Real Madrid, subject only to a medical. The terms of the deal will remain confidential and undisclosed."

But although they will not reveal the details of the deal, privately sources were maintaining that manager Rafael Benítez had got his own way over the fee. It is believed that Madrid made another attempt to end the deadlock today with an offer of £30m that will rise to £34m depending on Alonso's success over the first two years of what is believed to be a five-year contract.

Real Madrid issued a statement of their own, confirming he will have a medical tomorrow. Assuming all goes well, he will join his former Liverpool team-mates Alvaro Arbeloa - who moved to Real last week for £3.5m - and goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek at the Bernabéu.

The Alonso deal will bring Real Madrid's spending under new president Florentino Pérez to around £220m. Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka, Karim Benzema, Raúl Albiol, Esteban Granero, Arbeloa, and Álvaro Negredo have all moved to the Bernabéu this summer.

Liverpool are now likely to step up their attempts to sign Roma's £18m-rated Alberto Aquilani as Alonso's replacement.

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