Xabi Alonso is close to a £5m move to Bayern Munich…
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Xabi Alonso is set to seal a £5m move from Real Madrid to Bayern Munich, after falling down the pecking order with the European Champions.
The 32-year-old, who announced his retirement from international football earlier today, faces competition from Toni Kroos, Luca Modric, Sami Khedira and Asier Illarramendi for a midfield role, prompting the former Liverpool star to look elsewhere for first-team opportunities.
The Daily Mail claims that Alonso will sign a two-year deal with the German champions, having rejected rumoured interest from Premier League clubs such as Chelsea and Manchester United.
He will work with former Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola – so often one of his ‘Clasico’ enemies in Spain – and will replace the injured Javi Martinez in Munich’s squad, providing an experienced option for his new coach.
Mail sources suggest that Madrid had expected Khedira to leave this summer, but after his wage demands dissuaded Arsenal from sustaining their interest, Alonso was permitted to move on instead.
With Martinez likely to be out for the rest of the season, Alonso’s switch could be sealed on Thursday, with the two-time European Cup winner set to sign a deal worth around £150,000-a-week at the Allianz Arena.
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