Liverpool have rejected a €5m (£4.23m) bid from Real Madrid for Alvaro Arbeloa, but will allow the defender to return to the Bernabéu providing they recoup £5m for the Spain international.
Real, who have also lined up a €30m offer for Xabi Alonso, made their first official move for the Liverpool right-back following talks with the player's agent, Manuel García Quillón. The bid was instantly rejected by Rafael Benítez, who is also represented by Quillón, but Liverpool are likely to settle for a marginal increase with Arbeloa approaching the final 12 months of his Anfield contract.
The 26-year-old has also made no secret of his desire to sign for Real, where he failed to make an impact on the first team before leaving for Deportivo La Coruña in 2006. "I am especially proud of what the club is doing," Arbeloa reiterated. "It is a big project with the return of Florentino [Pérez, as president] and obviously if Madrid is fixed on you it makes you proud."
Arbeloa has proven an astute purchase since joining Liverpool for £2.6m in January 2007 but will be usurped as the club's first-choice right-back by Glen Johnson. Benítez is looking to offset the £17m cost of the England international, who has passed a medical at Liverpool and will sign a four-year contract on his return from holiday, by selling the likes of Arbeloa and Andrea Dossena, while Portsmouth will write off the £7m they owe for Peter Crouch as part of the Johnson deal.
The Spain defender is currently in South Africa for the Confederations Cup and admits his future will be resolved after the tournament ends on Sunday. Arbeloa added: "I would be lying if I said I was sure to start the season with Liverpool. I'll be able to think about all this by next Monday."
Real, who have also lined up a €30m offer for Xabi Alonso, made their first official move for the Liverpool right-back following talks with the player's agent, Manuel García Quillón. The bid was instantly rejected by Rafael Benítez, who is also represented by Quillón, but Liverpool are likely to settle for a marginal increase with Arbeloa approaching the final 12 months of his Anfield contract.
The 26-year-old has also made no secret of his desire to sign for Real, where he failed to make an impact on the first team before leaving for Deportivo La Coruña in 2006. "I am especially proud of what the club is doing," Arbeloa reiterated. "It is a big project with the return of Florentino [Pérez, as president] and obviously if Madrid is fixed on you it makes you proud."
Arbeloa has proven an astute purchase since joining Liverpool for £2.6m in January 2007 but will be usurped as the club's first-choice right-back by Glen Johnson. Benítez is looking to offset the £17m cost of the England international, who has passed a medical at Liverpool and will sign a four-year contract on his return from holiday, by selling the likes of Arbeloa and Andrea Dossena, while Portsmouth will write off the £7m they owe for Peter Crouch as part of the Johnson deal.
The Spain defender is currently in South Africa for the Confederations Cup and admits his future will be resolved after the tournament ends on Sunday. Arbeloa added: "I would be lying if I said I was sure to start the season with Liverpool. I'll be able to think about all this by next Monday."
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