Football Liverpool: Alonso asks to leave

Football Liverpool: Alonso asks to leave as Anfield's dirty washing goes public

In the latest development in the ongoing transfer sagas at Anfield, Xabi Alonso has asked to leave Liverpool, reportedly requesting to be sold to AC Milan or Arsenal, fearing his football will be limited if he stays at Liverpool.

The continual wrangling amongst the Liverpool management team is set to plunge their football season into turmoil before it has even begun. The Parry Benitez relationship is clearly becoming untenable, with something going to have to give sooner or later, and from the demeanour of Benitez, he clearly doesn't believe it will be him.

Xabi Alonso asking to leave Liverpool is only the latest twist to a sorry football saga that has gone on since April, and one that has left two top quality footballers at clubs they'd rather leave. Throughout it all Benitez appears a remarkably calm football manager, and ever confident he will get his man in Gareth Barry.

It has to be said though, 18 & 16 million for either footballer is too expensive. A good 3 million of the price for each would be a much more reasonable deal, and you can see how Benitez is getting exasperated with Rick Parry - refusing to pay 18 million for the player above Carrick and Hargreaves in the England midfield, and demanding a similar fee for the player the club wants Barry to replace!

Liverpool's fans will be concerned that all the boardroom wrangling that seemed to have settled, has again burst to the surface threatening to derail not just the football season, but Liverpool Football club itself.

Gareth Barry to Liverpool

Reports coming in of a deal done for Gareth Barry to move to Liverpool

At long, long, last it appears the Gareth Barry move to Liverpool has happened. Reports are surfacing of Villa recieving 17.5 million plus Steve Finnan for Barry.

Rafael Benitez and all Liverpool fans will be pleased the longest running transfer saga of the summer will now be over. It certainly looks like a combination of Alonso, Pennant, and Voronin have played their last game in the red shirt of Liverpool. Personally I am disappointed in Pennant and that he must go. The guy has simply never fulfilled his promise, though he is still only 24.

Benitez I think is looking at Barry for his versatility and intelligence, plus he is better as a holding midfielder than Alonso, given the absence of Mascherano for a month. Given the price of Barry, Keane and Doessena, Liverpool's indispensables each week are starting to look like: Reina, Arbeloa, Carragher, Agger, Doessena, Barry, Mascherano, Gerrard, Keane, and Torres. That leaves the likes of Skrtel, Babel, Benayoun, and Kuyt all fighting over one spot. Liverpool are certainly going to be very strong this year, but maybe just not quite!

Gareth Barry to Liverpool has proved to be the long yawn of the summer, and it's instructive how Liverpool have struggled to raise the fee. A sign of the credit crunch and Liverpool's parlous finances perhaps? Martin O'Neill will be glad Barry has finally moved to Liverpool, and he can get on with Villa's season!

Football News: Robbie Keane to Liverpool the Priority

Football News: Benitez now making Robbie Keane to Liverpool his main game

Rafa Benitez is, almost unbelievably, after the yet to be resolved Gareth Barry saga, making Robbie Keane's move to Liverpool his top transfer priority.

Given Liverpool's limited funds, the wealth of midfield options he has, he is now concentrating on bringing Irish striker Keane to Liverpool. All this begs the question on the Barry saga, what was all that about? If Keane has always been the priority, why wait until now to make him as such. Poor old Gareth Barry must be getting a bit worried if he will be playing any football this season, or will he be left to rot in the stands by Aston Villa, with Liverpool unwilling to meet the asking price.

We reckon Robbie Keane to Liverpool is a done deal and we can see why. Keane just behind Torres is a quality partnership, and a great improvement on Crouch, Kuyt and Voronin et al. Liverpool will look a whole lot better if Keane does move from Tottenham. As for the Barry to Liverpool saga - well we reckon Rafa Benitez is playing a game of brinkmanship, and trying to slowly, slowly grind Aston Villa down to a price he can afford to pay. The brinkmanship is if Barry gets nervous, and tells his agent he would go to Highbury as well as Anfield. Villa know the longer it goes on, the lower his value becomes as he has clearly played his last game for the club.

Overall we reckon they are two done deals, eventually! A suitor for Alonso will emerge from Spain, Villa will cave in, and Robbie Keane will be hightailing it north in a move to Liverpool. Boy do these transfers drag on!!