http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/2009/08/06/why-liverpool-had-to-sell-xabi-alonso-to-catch-manchester-united-115875-21574369/Allowing a player of the quality of Xabi Alonso to leave is never done lightly.
But his departure may not be the disaster many Liverpool supporters believe it to be.
Rafa Benitez has already re-invested £15million of the Alonso cash in Roma’s Alberto Aquilani, who the Liverpool boss hopes could be the key to the Premier League title.
Benitez could yet live to regret the decision to sell to Real Madrid, even given the admirably inflated price-tag of more than £30million, but beyond the inevitable disappointment of losing such a popular player, the Anfield boss has compelling reasons to cash in.
When he looked at last season’s failed title challenge Benitez will have identified three areas that needed surgery. Two were obvious, at full back and wide midfield.
But the third will surprise many fans, who assume that the club’s midfield was their strength last term. On the surface, the Alonso-Javier Mascherano partnership was one of the strongest in the Premier League, but a closer look at the statistics from last season suggest otherwise, given the importance of the two base midfielders in the diamond formation all top teams now employ.
Between them, the pair scored just THREE league goals all season. Compare that to Michael Carrick and Darren Fletcher at United who managed seven in a side who got goals from all over the field.
What Fletcher and Carrick also provided was an ability to get forward into the penalty area unmarked, and beyond the opposition back line into space, which created numerous chances for United.
For Liverpool, who beat Lyn Oslo 2-0 last night, neither Alonso nor Mascherano could do that, because their style in sitting deep is so similar.
But it is crucial when Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres are always so heavily marked to exploit the space afforded to other players deeper in the midfield.
It seems the Liverpool boss decided that Mascherano has the edge because of his mobility and aggression in fulfilling the covering role both must do.
The Anfield manager has been left casting around for a midfielder who can pass and defend, and still get forward beyond the opposition back line.
Aquilani appears to have those qualities, but Italians have not always been successful in the Premier League, and his injury record is a cause for concern.
There is one other part of the equation though, that does suggest it is a disastrous time for Liverpool.
So far, the Spanish coach has raised in excess of £40m by selling players this summer, and that could exceed £50m if he sells Ryan Babel or Andrea Dossena.
If Aquilani passes a medical, at a fee of £15m it will only take the manager’s spending to just over £30m.
Depressingly, that suggests Liverpool’s finances are not going on the players required for the push to get beyond United, but on the club’s mounting debts.
