The Italy midfielder has allegedly told his colleagues at Inter that last Sunday’s derby was his last in a Rossoneri shirt.
Milan fans are bracing themselves for another high-profile defection as Andrea Pirlo looks set to reunite with Carlo Ancelotti at Chelsea.
The former Diavoli boss has made no secret of his desire to lure Pirlo to Stamford Bridge and the Corriere dello Sport today claims that the 30-year-old said his goodbyes to his friends and colleagues at Inter after last Sunday’s Derby della Madonnina clash in Boston.
“This was my last derby game,” he reportedly said.
Press reports suggest that the Premier League giants have seen a €14.5 million bid, which also included the services of Claudio Pizarro and the loan of Michael Mancienne, rejected earlier this week.
But there is room to negotiate and discussions between the parties are expected to continue in the coming days.
Pirlo is tied to the San Siro outfit until June 2011 on wages of €5m-a-year, but he has allegedly been offered a four-year deal by Chelsea worth €6.5m-per-season.
Milan have already parted with Brazilian superstar Kaka this summer - the 27-year-old joined Spanish powerhouse Real Madrid in a €67.5m deal.
Report: Chelsea Target Andrea Pirlo Hints At Milan Exit
Kaka knew Real move in January
Kaka claimed his move to Real Madrid from AC Milan was decided on as early as January.
Milan had always insisted Kaka was not for sale and stunned the footballing world when they accepted a bid for the Brazil playmaker from Manchester City in the January transfer window.
Hundreds of fans turned up at Kaka's house to plead with him not to leave and although he decided to stay, he has now revealed it was because he was convinced by a phone call from Madrid.
"It wasn't exactly Florentino (Perez, Madrid president) who called, because he wasn't the president at the time." Kaka told Spanish sports daily AS. "For me it was a surprise all the fuss they created around it.
"It was the first time Milan wanted to sell me. (Milan president Silvio) Berlusconi assured me that it was only for financial reasons.
"For me it was great to see the fans outside my house showing their support for me not to leave.
Heinze on verge of Marseille switch
Gabriel Heinze is set to become French club Marseille's 10th signing of the summer.
OM released a statement which saying they have reached an "agreement in principle" with the defender and his club side Real Madrid over his transfer to the Stade Velodrome.
The 31-year-old former Manchester United player should sign a three-year deal soon.
The statement on Marseille's official website, www.om.net, read: "The Argentina international should come to Marseille soon for the completion of the contract and to take a medical."
Heinze, a former Paris St Germain defender who can play at left-back or centre-half, was linked with a move to Marseille earlier this summer but it was thought his wage demands ended any hope of a deal being struck.
But it appears to have been resurrected and OM coach Didier Deschamps could soon have another high-profile player at his disposal.
On Tuesday, former Spain striker Fernando Morientes, who was a free agent after leaving Valencia at the end of last season, joined the Mediterranean side along with classy midfielder Fabrice Abriel, who moved from Lorient.
The other players to have made the switch to the Velodrome in the close season are Lucho Gonzalez, Stephane M'Bia, Souleymane Diawara, Edouard Cisse, Cyril Rool, Elinton Andrade and Charley Fomen.
Wenger: No rush with cash
Sir Alex Ferguson has claimed Arsenal "don't have the money" but Arsene Wenger has insisted there is cash available.
The Arsenal manager, however, believes his squad is strong enough without any more new signings.
The Gunners, linked with a move for their former skipper Patrick Vieira on a pay-as-you-play basis, have made only one signing, defender Thomas Vermaelen from Ajax, but have sold both Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Adebayor to Manchester City.
Arsenal are £30million up on the deals but have debts to service on the Emirates Stadium, and it was this that prompted Ferguson to speculate it will be Wenger's side who feel the biggest threat from big-spending City.
Emmanuel Eboue could also leave Arsenal, with Fiorentina weighing up a £7million bid for the Ivory Coast midfielder.
"Fab's Milan move appears dead"
Luis Fabiano's agent admits he has all but given up on securing the Sevilla striker a move to AC Milan.
The Rossoneri have long been linked with the Brazil forward and have reportedly had a 14million euro bid turned down by Sevilla.
The Primera Division side are said to be holding out for an offer close to Luis Fabiano's 26 million euro release clause, a figure Milan are not prepared to pay.
Rossoneri chiefs admitted recently negotiations are at stalemate and Fabiano's agent feels now the 28-year-old will not be moving to the San Siro.
"If Milan have described the deal as blocked, I now have to think it's the end, which is the truth," Jose Fuentes told Calciomercato.it. "I continue to hope to go to Milan but listening to Milan say this, my hope also dies.
"The most important thing if Milan want, if they really want to do this deal, is for (Milan vice-president Adriano) Galliani to contact (Sevilla president Jose Maria) Del Nido, let him talk directly to the Sevilla president.
Alonso asks to leave Liverpool
Xabi Alonso's Liverpool career appeared to be coming towards an end as he arrived for training.
The midfielder expects to hold talks with manager Rafael Benitez as Real Madrid are believed to be preparing a new, improved, bid for the 28 year-old.
A club source has now confirmed that Alonso has submitted a transfer request, with the Spanish player having previously only told Benitez verbally that he wanted to leave the club.
Now if Madrid produce an offer of at least £28million, the chances are that Benitez will agree to sell the man he signed from Real Sociedad for £10million in August 2004.
Alonso flew back from Spain, having spent three days with his family in San Sebastian, determined to end a summer-long saga over his future.
Benitez has defiantly refused to let Alonso leave, and Real's only official bid of £24million was rejected. But a formal transfer request clearly changes the situation.
Since that first bid, both parties have been engaged in a war of words over the deal, with Real president Florentino Perez maintaining that Liverpool's valuation was much too high.
Dossena Napoli move hits snag
Liverpool defender Andrea Dossena's proposed move to Napoli has been delayed due to the player's wage demands.
The Reds have accepted a £4million offer for the Italy international, who failed to make an impact in his debut campaign in England.
Napoli sporting director Pierpaolo Marino insists there will be further talks with the full-back, but his £2million-a-year salary at Anfield is a problem.
Marino said: "Dossena? We have taken a break in order to reflect on this. The move is therefore on hold.
"There are no immediate prospects. The president [Aurelio De Laurentiis] has spoken to [Rafa] Benitez, but there is some distance with the player."
Eto'o will make debut against Monaco
Samuel Eto'o is expected to make his Inter debut against Monaco in the Pirelli Trophy on Thursday.
According to Il Corriere dello Sport, the Cameroonian who made the switch from Bracelona this week, played in his first training session on Wednesday morning, which was watched by Inter President Massimo Moratti.
Earlier this week, Inter exchanged Zlatan Ibrahimovic for the former Barcelona hitman plus £40m in arguably the most intriguing transfer of the summer so far.
On Wednesday, Eto'o was unveiled to Inter's fans at the club's training ground in Pinetina.
Arbeloa delight at Madrid return
Alvaro Arbeloa revealed he set his heart on a return to Real Madrid as soon as he discovered the they were interested.
Arbeloa spent Wednesday in the Spanish capital putting the finishing touches on his move from Liverpool after Madrid agreed a reported £3.5million deal with the English club for the versatile defender.
The 26-year-old has agreed a five-year contract with Madrid and becomes the club's seventh signing since Florentino Perez returned to the presidency in June, following in the footsteps of Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka, Karim Benzema, Raul Albiol, Alvaro Negredo and Esteban Granero.
Argentina centre-back Ezequiel Garay is also a new face at the club, although he was signed from Racing Santander 12 months ago before immediately being loaned back to the Cantabrian side for last season.
Arbeloa is no stranger to Madrid, as he spent five years working his way up through the youth ranks before moving to Deportivo La Coruna in 2006, and then onto Liverpool six months later.
The defender failed to establish himself in the first team during his previous spell at the Bernabeu, making just a couple of senior appearances, so when the chance arose for a second bite at the cherry, Arbeloa admits he was determined to take it.
Hleb set for Stuttgart loan
Alexander Hleb will spend next season on loan at Stuttgart from Barcelona, the European champions have confirmed.
Hleb had been expected to be part of the exchange deal which saw Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Samuel Eto'o switch allegiances earlier this week.
But the 28-year-old has opted against joining the Cameroon frontman at the San Siro due to the limited prospects of regular football under Jose Mourinho, and instead decided to return to the Bundesliga.
After a difficult season with Barca, Hleb was keen to find a club which could guarantee him first-team action and Stuttgart had been monitoring his situation for several months.
The Swabians intensified their interest in the player after seeing moves for Real Madrid's Klaas Jan Huntelaar and Vagner Love of CSKA Moscow break down.
Hleb left Stuttgart four years ago to move to Arsenal, where he spent three years before moving on to the Nou Camp last summer.
Caceres arrives at Juventus for medical
Barcelona defender Martin Caceres is expected to complete his move to Juventus on Wednesday.
According to TMW, the 22-year-old was aboard a plane that landed in Turin, and despite not speaking upon his arrival, he looked to be in a positive mood.
The Uruguay international will undergo a Juve medical this morning and all being well, he will sign forms in the afternoon.
Caceres will ink a season-long loan with the option of making the deal permanent for £8 million.
The latest reports go on to suggest that Caceres may sign on loan with the Bianconeri after all, with the option of purchasing him outright in 12 months' time.If the talented defender does sign for the Old Lady, then he will become the club’s fourth significant signing of the summer, following Fabio Cannavaro, Diego and Felipe Melo.
Alonso hands in transfer request
Xabi Alonso's departure from Liverpool has moved a giant step forward with claims that he has submitted a transfer request.
Liverpool have not confirmed the latest move in the saga of the midfielder's potential departure to Real Madrid, but sources close to club insist that the 28-year-old has formally asked to leave, according to a report in the Liverpool Echo.
Previously he had only held meetings with Rafael Benitez and verbally told the Anfield boss of his desire to quit.
This latest move will pave the way to his departure, with Real on the brink of making a £28million compromise bid for the Spain international.
Alonso is due back for training today from a short holiday at his San Sebastian home.
But Benitez had told Alonso that he wanted the uncertainty around the player's future to be sorted out before the weekend one way or another.
Madrid's initial bid was for £24million with club president Florentino Perez claiming that the player was over-priced.
Redknapp still wants Huntelaar
Tottenham's Harry Redknapp remains keen to sign Real Madrid's Klaas-Jan Huntelaar despite Peter Crouch's signing.
Crouch completed a £9million move from Portsmouth on Monday and joins Jermain Defoe, Robbie Keane and Roman Pavlyuchenko in the Spurs attack, with Darren Bent seemingly poised for a move away from White Hart Lane.
Huntelaar was set to join German side Stuttgart last week only for the move to fall through due to the player's wage demands.
And Redknapp confirmed he remains very much interested in the Holland striker, although any move would be subject to Bent moving on.
"It is definitely not a no go," he said. "It is still a possibility. If you look at his goalscoring record, it is incredible.
"If he is available then again he is a player that interests me. I think if any top-class player becomes available then you have to be interested and if Darren Bent does go then maybe we will be interested.
"You cannot have too many good players. Competition for places is what it is all about. Look at Manchester United, you could pick two teams from their squad last year."
Eduardo: Gunners can't win title
Croatia and Arsenal striker Eduardo da Silva is not optimistic about the Gunners' title chances this season.
Arsenal have been weakened after losing striker Emmanuel Adebayor and Kolo Toure to big-spending Manchester City.
Last season, they struggled to a fourth place finish only after the acquistion of playmaker Andrey Arshavin in the middle of the season.
Speaking to Sportske novosti, Eduardo said of Arsenal's chances of challenging for the title: "It will be very hard, really very, very hard."
"Now Kolo Toure is also leaving, so I don't know."
"But of course Arsenal is a club which is always looking for the top spots. I think our main goal will be to be in the top four next season."
The Croatian international also suggested Manchester City would struggle to win the Premier League this year.
He also added Mark Hughes could struggle to accommodate all of his strikers in the same team.
Kolo Toure: My best is yet to come
New Manchester City signing Kolo Toure believes he has yet to reach his peak after completing his move from Arsenal.
The 28-year-old has signed a four-year contract after free-spending City agreed a fee of a reported £15million with the Gunners.
Toure joined Arsenal as a largely unknown 20-year-old from ASEC Mimosas in 2002, but now moves to City as an accomplished defender with Champions League experience and 70 caps for Ivory Coast.
"It is always difficult to leave a place where you have spent the last eight years and had good times but I felt the time was right for a new challenge and I am still at an age, 28, where I feel I am at my peak and will play my best football," Toure told City's website.
"For me it was time to move but only for the right club and I feel that Manchester City is that club. The ambition here is clear to see and is big. Everyone knows this club is moving and that is really, really important.
Elano joins Galatasaray
Manchester City's Brazilian playmaker, Elano, has opted to join Turkish giants, Galatsasaray.
The Brazil international's future at the City of Manchester Stadium had been uncertain after he found himself in and out of Mark Hughes' side last season.
He admitted earlier in the summer that he could be on the move if City received a suitable offer and he had been linked with several clubs in Italy.
Juventus were mooted as admirers of the 28-year-old, while city rivals AC Milan and Inter Milan had recently been credited with an interest.
However, Elano has accepted a surprise move to Turkey after Galatasaray confirmed he had signed a contract until 2013.
Reports have put the fee in the region of £8million - the figure City paid to sign Elano from Ukrainian outfit Shakhtar Donetsk two years ago.
During his time at City, Elano scored 18 goals in 80 appearances in all competitions, but has been squeezed out by the raft of big-name signings
Toure set for Man City medical
Kolo Toure has agreed on a contract with Man City and is now travelling to Manchester to have his medical.
Toure is set to join the Sky Blues after the two clubs agreed to a transfer fee in the region of £15million for the stopper.
The Ivory Coast star signed with Arsenal in 2002 with Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger paying a small fee to bring him in from the Ivory Coast.
Toure will now have his medical, which is seen as a formality, before the deal can be made official.
Skysports.com has reported that Toure has a verbal agreement for a four-year contract with the Sky Blues and the transfer is set to be sealed in 24 hours.
Terry issues plea to Blues stars
John Terry hopes players like Ashley Cole and Didier Drogba will follow his example and pledge their futures to Chelsea.
The 28-year-old has been a high-profile target of Manchester City this summer and had pointedly remained silent on the matter until he released a statement on Monday insisting he will be staying with the Stamford Bridge club.
Chelsea captain Terry explained: "I was on holiday when I got the call from Peter (chief executive, Kenyon) to tell me about Manchester City.
"I've been here for 14 years now, I want to keep it that way and win a lot more trophies here.
"I was very flattered and honoured about the bid but I wanted reassurances key players around me, people like Ashley and Didier, who are in for contract talks at the moment, were going to be around.
"I've got three years left on my contract and hopefully if I have a good year they'll be talking to me about a new deal sooner rather than later."
Ronaldo pleased to get off the mark
Cristiano Ronaldo spoke of his joy at scoring for Real Madrid but insisted the team's improvement is what's important.
Playing in his third match since his world-record £80million move from Manchester United, Ronaldo netted his first goal for Madrid after slotting home a second-half penalty during tonight's Peace Cup match with Liga de Quito.
Ronaldo, who also won the penalty following a jinking run which saw him cleverly skip between two opponents before being sent crashing to the ground as he attempted to round a third player, said of the goal: "I'm very happy, very pleased to score my first goal in this shirt.
"It`s not always possible to make plays like that because your opponents don`t let you.
Villa has no desire to leave
Valencia forward David Villa would be happy to see out his career with Los Che.
The 27-year-old Spain international has long been linked with a move away from the Mestalla, with speculation rife earlier this summer that he would be sold to ease the club's financial worries.
Villa reportedly attracted interest from clubs such as Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester United and Chelsea.
He has remained tight-lipped on the topic of his future over the summer but today broke his silence to reveal he never considered playing for another club against Valencia's wishes.
"I could not spend all summer refuting things, so I wanted to be quiet," he said.
"I depended on the decision of the club. They decided for me to stay and I am glad.
No rift between Eto'o and Mourinho
Inter Milan new boy Samuel Eto'o has rubbished suggestions he has ever had a problem with new coach Jose Mourinho.
Eto'o was unveiled to the press on Tuesday after completing his switch from Barcelona on Monday night and vowed to propel his new team to European glory.
Reports suggest the Cameroon striker, who fell out of favour with his past two coaches at Barca, could be hampered in this by a fractious relationship with Mourinho.
However, Eto'o has denied he has issues with the Portuguese boss and insists he never insulted his team's style of play following a Champions League match between Barca and Chelsea.
"I never said those words that were attributed to me," he said. "There is also a tape which proves it and, in any case, that was after an intense game.
"Now I am happy to be here, for me it is a great honour to play for a coach like him.
Milan snub Chelsea's Pirlo bid
Italian giants AC Milan have been reported to have rejected a bid for Andrea Pirlo from Chelsea.
According to The Daily Mail, the big-spending English club had made a €10 million offer, the deal would also include Claudio Pizarro, and Michael Mancienne on loan.
The Sun, however, reported that a bid in the region of €14.5m and Pizarro alone have been put on the table, and subsequently turned down by the Rossoneri.
A ‘Milan insider' had claimed that Pirlo is "worth £35m".
Andrea Pirlo has made 233 appearances and scored 31 goals for AC Milan since he joined the club in 2001.
Keane welcomes Crouch arrival
Robbie Keane has welcomed the arrival of Peter Crouch to Tottenham, saying the added competition is ideal for the team.
England striker Crouch completed his move to White Hart Lane on Monday in a £9million deal while last season's top scorer Darren Bent headed to the north-east to discuss terms with Sunderland.
That means Crouch, Keane, Jermain Defoe and Roman Pavlyuchenko will compete for the places in the Spurs' forward line this season.
Crouch and Defoe previously combined successfully under Redknapp at Portsmouth, meaning that little and large partnership could potentially be reunited.
But, far from being concerned over his place in the side, Keane believes the incentive to perform will spur him on.
"I am looking forward to playing with him," said the Republic of Ireland captain. "He is a tremendous player and he is a good addition to a good squad that we already have.
Torres wants Alonso to stay
Fernando Torres has insisted it would be "a serious loss to Liverpool" if Xabi Alonso completed a move to Real Madrid.
The Spanish giants' pursuit of the Liverpool midfielder is set to come to a head with Reds manager Rafael Benitez keen for the Spain international's future to be cleared up before his squad reassemble tomorrow following a three-day break.
It is believed Benitez has threatened to pull the plug on negotiations if Madrid do not meet his £30million valuation of the player before the weekend - and Torres is hoping his compatriot stays with the club.
The striker told The Sun: "It would be a bad piece of work if Xabi left - he plays his cards close to his chest so I don't know what is going to happen.
"I'd put Xabi's own wishes ahead of everything else, of course, but he's got three years left on his contract with us and I'd love it if he stays.
"It would be a serious loss for Liverpool if he left this summer."
Torres' views are in stark contrast to former Reds goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek, who yesterday claimed a move to Real Madrid would represent a "dream come true" for Alonso.
Tottenham 1-0 West Ham
Jermain Defoe's second-half strike was enough to secure victory for Tottenham over West Ham at Beijing's Workers Stadium.
The England striker struck in the 75th minute to cap a dominant performance from Spurs.
They will face either Hull or Beijing Guoan in the final on Friday.
There was added disappointment for the Hammers after losing Luis Boa-Morte early in the game following a challenge with Benoit Assou-Ekotto and there are fears his knee injury could be serious.
Both sides had opted to play strong sides, with Spurs fielding new signing Kyle Naughton in midfield while Defoe and Roman Pavlyuchenko were paired in attack.
West Ham, meanwhile, handed a start to on-loan Inter Milan midfielder Luis Jimenez with last season's top scorer Carlton Cole deployed as a sole striker.
Spurs were lively from the start as skipper Luka Modric struck an effort wide with less than a minute on the clock.
But West Ham were quick to counter as James Collins saw his deft header from a free-kick land in the hands of Carlo Cudicini minutes later before Naughton's low drive went narrowly wide for Spurs after he was sent through by Alan Hutton.
United appeals to Special One
Jose Mourinho would jump at the chance of managing Manchester United should the Old Trafford hierarchy come calling.
At 67, Ferguson knows he cannot continue indefinitely, even though he is presently fit and healthy and has no intention of giving up a job he has held for almost 23 years.
United chief executive David Gill knows finding a suitable alternative will be the single most difficult task he will face given the incredible success Ferguson has enjoyed with the Red Devils.
Mourinho's name has been mentioned fairly frequently since his exit from Chelsea.
The Portuguese coach certainly has the charisma required to take on one of football's biggest jobs and is unlikely to be overwhelmed by the task of replacing the most successful British manager of all time.
And, while he insists he remains totally focused on trying to end Inter Milan's 54-year European Cup drought, he admitted the lure of returning to England with the current Premier League champions would probably be irresistible.
"I would consider going to Manchester United but United have to consider if they want me to succeed Sir Alex Ferguson," he told the Daily Mirror. "If they do, then of course.
Ibrahimovic blasts life in Serie A
Zlatan Ibrahimovic has launched a scathing attack on Italian football, claiming he was "fed up" with life in Serie A.
Ibrahimovic was unveiled as a Barcelona player earlier today - following an exchange deal between Inter and Barca involving Samuel Eto'o and Alexander Hleb.
The Sweden striker's agent revealed the 27-year-old had been considering leaving Inter for the past year, something Ibrahimovic was all to eager to confirm.
"When did I start thinking about moving somewhere else? In December, before Christmas," he was reported as saying on Tuttomercatoweb.it.
"The more I saw Barcelona play, the more I wanted to leave.
"Moreover, I was fed up of Italy, of Milan, of your football: you play badly, there's too much stress.
"In short, I needed something else.
"Did Inter pay me more than any other footballer? No comment."
Inter are set to receive Samuel Eto'o and 46 million euros in exchange for Ibrahimovic, with Alexander Hleb also moving to the San Siro on a season-long loan deal.
Bent nears Sunderland move
Darren Bent's move to Sunderland looks more likely than ever as he pulls out of Tottenham's pre-season tour to China. The England international was on the flight with the rest of his team-mates which was awaiting departure to Beijing for the Premier League Asia Trophy. However, a last minute phone call came through shortly before take-off informing Bent that he needed to leave the plane. Sky Sports News understands that the former Charlton forward is now holding talks with the Black Cats over a proposed switch to Wearside. Sunderland boss Steve Bruce had admitted his frustration earlier in the day at the lack of progress in his bid to secure the striker's services. Bruce has already seen Portsmouth forward Peter Crouch reject a move to the club, with the England international tipped to join Spurs.
City strike deal for disgruntled Kolo
Reports in England claim that Manchester City have struck a £15 million deal with Arsenal for defender Kolo Toure.
The Blues had been chasing John Terry but the Chelsea and England skipper rejected their overtures this week - announcing that he would remain at Chelsea.
Thus, Mark Hughes has moved swiftly for Toure, whose place at Ashburton Grove has been in doubt ever since his well-documented spat with William Gallas last season and the recent arrival of central defender Thomas Vermaelen from Ajax.
According to The Daily Mail a fee of around £15 million has been agreed between the clubs with the Ivorian international expected to pick up wages of £120,000 per week - twice what he has been earning at the Emirates.
City, who are still looking to land Everton's Joleon Lescott or West Ham United's Matthew Upson, are expected to officially present the 28-year-old later this week.
Portsmouth: We had to sell Crouch
Portsmouth boss Paul Hart concedes selling Peter Crouch was a case of "needs must".
But he is expecting Sylvain Distin to stay at Fratton Park.
Crouch completed his return to Tottenham on Monday night after turning down a move to Sunderland earlier this month.
The striker only joined Pompey last summer from Liverpool, but has been sold to help repay debts while Sulaiman Al Fahim waits to complete his takeover.
Hart is disappointed to lose the England international, but understands why Crouch had to be offloaded before the start of the new season.
"Peter's a good player and also a great lad," Hart told Sky Sports News. "All of us are sorry to lose him.
"I think it's a case of needs must and we have to face up to those facts."
French defender Distin has also been linked with a move away from Pompey, with Aston Villa reported to be showing an interest.
However, Hart is optimistic the centre-half will not be leaving and is preparing a new contract for the 31-year-old.
Hart added: "He's again one of our big players, so I'm expecting him to stay."
Henry: Why would I help Spurs?
Thierry Henry has vehemently dismissed reports that he told former team-mate Patrick Vieira to sign for Tottenham.
"I am Arsenal through and through. I'd never advise anyone to sign for Tottenham," said the former Gunner. "Patrick Vieira is a grown man who will do whatever he has to do for his own career."
Liverpool to cash in on Alonso
Xabi Alonso’s future may be sorted out soon with Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez forcing the midfielder’s hand with an ultimatum.
Benitez is demanding that Alonso make his decision within the next 48 hours, with Liverpool desperate for cash to pay up ₤60 million of their debt by December as part of their refinancing deal.
And with ₤40m of that loan still to be settled this week, Spanish tabloid AS claim that the Reds will have to accept Real Madrid's bid for the Basque midfielder in order to meet the loan repayment deadline.
Reports from Spain suggest that Los Blancos' recent bid of €27 million was rejected by Liverpool but the press now claim that talks between the both teams have been resuscitated.
The word from AS is that Los Merengues are now willing to bid around €30 million for Alonso.
Xabi is currently in San Sebastian, Spain, on a mini three-day holiday with his family as Liverpool do not resume training until Thursday. The Spain international is expected to have made a decision by then.
Terry: Roman gets involved
Chelsea captain John Terry has revealed owner Roman Abramovich is very much hands-on when it comes to analysing his squad.
The defender says that over the years the nature of Abramovich's relationship with the players has changed and that he now often talks with his stars.
While some believe Chelsea's squad are more influential than the manager himself, as was the way with Luiz Felipe Scolari, Terry insists Abramovich has the final say.
The 28-year-old, who was wanted by Manchester City this summer, believes it is only a good thing for Chelsea that the players have such a strong relationship with their billionaire owner.
"It is strange actually because never before have myself and Frank (Lampard) and people like Didier (Drogba) had that communication with him," explained Terry.
"Mr Abramovich is a very successful businessman and makes all the final decisions. He likes to have the opinion of the players.
Zlatan arrives in Barcelona
Zlatan Ibrahimovic has arrived in Barcelona ahead of his medical scheduled for tomorrow.
The Inter Milan striker is on the verge of completing a switch to the Nou Camp in a deal which will see Samuel Eto'o move the other way and the Serie A side receive 45million euros.
"I want to form part of Barca's history" Ibrahimovic told Barca TV.
The Sweden striker spent around 15 minutes at the Nou Camp where he was photographed in front of the Barcelona badge and will dine with club president Joan Laporta and other officials tonight.
Ibrahimovic is set for a medical tomorrow and, should all go to plan, will be presented as the treble winners' latest recruit at around 1830 local time.
And he has revealed that at that moment he will feel on top of the world.
"It's hard to describe my feelings," continued Ibrahimovic. "Everything seems to be all set, it just needs my signature.
"I'm really pleased and enjoying everything that's happening.
"I really am very, very happy and when this is all settled I'll be the happiest man in the world."
Ibrahimovic has spent the past three seasons at the San Siro but he insists that as soon as Barca came calling there was only one team for him.
Di Stefano: Play for the people
Real Madrid legend, Alfredo Di Stefano, wants his club not just to win titles but also win beautifully.
Di Stefano urged new manager, Manuel Pellegrini to play the sort of attacking football that Madrid fans have always craved for in the upcoming season.
He told Argentine newspaper, Ole, "At Real Madrid, the people are not interested in winning without playing well. They must not be selfish, they must play for the people, because people are desperate to see their favourite player make or score a goal,"
The Madrid legend also gave his take on who he thinks is the best Argentine player ever.
"The standard of football is better today,
"It is a football team. Without good colleagues alongside you, where will you be?
"[Lionel] Messi is strong, powerful and plays very well, but without his companions, he would not get anywhere."
Madrid only managed a 1-1 draw against Al-Ittihad Jeddah on Sunday in an exhibition match.
