Xabi Alonso, Real Madrid
Many didn’t want to see Alonso leave in the first place, the midfield partnership he formed with Steven Gerrard was one of the best in the country a few years ago and luckily for Reds fans Brendan Rodgers is just as eager to see them back together as the fans are.
Now 31, the Spanish quarterback will cost just a fraction of the £30 million that the Madrid side paid for him in 2009. And with just under 18 months left to run on his current deal in the capital, Real are thought to only be asking for £8 million for him to return to where he came.
One of Liverpool’s problems has been that they never replaced Alonso when he left. At the time, many believed that Gareth Barry would be taking up his role, but he joined Manchester City instead and that left Steven Gerrard with far too much responsibility. Gerrard may be captain fantastic, but he can’t do it all on his own.
Even though they may be aging now, putting an effective string-puller like Alonso next to Gerrard again would invigorate the rest of the squad, it would also put some more needed star quality back into a side that has been overrun with youngsters this year.