The punters are enjoying the great British summer indoors here at The Transfer Tavern when one of our Spanish regulars tells us that MARCA is reporting a new twist in the Xabi Alonso transfer saga.
Apparently, Real Madrid reluctantly agreed to increase their bid from €25 to €30 million, a closer figure to Liverpool’s €35 million valuation of the player, on Thursday. However it now appears that Rafael Benitez has shifted the goal posts again and demanded a basic fee of €35 million, payable immediately, which could rise to €40 million based on how Alonso’s career at the Bernabeu pans out.
AS, another Spanish daily, claim that Real are expected to give Benitez the opportunity to bring either Alvaro Negredo, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar or Rafael van der Vaart to Anfield in a cash-plus-player deal.
Should Benitez agree to the proposal put forward by Los Blancos, this will bring Alonso’s fee down and with the Kop boss keen to draft in a striker to play alongside Fernando Torres up front which would make €15 million-rated Negredo and out-of-favour Huntlaar the ideal candidates should he accept the part-ex offer.
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