Anfield Red

Not that the whole Xabi Alonso saga needs any repeating; but I do think this story on Alonso in today’s Guardian sheds some light on what was really going on last summer between Rafa and the midfielder.

One would assume Alonso is being diplomatic with his comments regarding his relationship with Benitez and the club leading up to the transfer earlier this summer. But it looks like the stories regarding Alonso’s possible departure last year were true.

“It was a very difficult decision for me to make,” he told Sky Sports News. “After five years I have experienced wonderful nights at Anfield, to have experienced the support of probably the best fans in the world.

“That’s why I have always been very grateful and I will always have them in my mind and it has been a pleasure. Last summer the club [told] me that I might have to be sold to find funds for new players. It was a difficult decision or difficult moment to accept that. I accepted that as a professional and that moment probably changed my mind.”

Alonso was a class player right up until the end when he forced Rafa’s hand with a move to Real Madrid. But it looks like the whole thing was a longtime coming. Rafa stoked his transfer fire last summer with a possible move to fund new players. And while I’m all for bringing in new talents, one would have to figure that money would have gone exactly where the funds from Alonso did this time around: right into the ownership’s pockets.

Sure, it allowed us to be a replacement for Alonso; but it didn’t allow us to do anything more than that. Good to hear him heaping praise on his time at the club.