Alvaro Arbeloa (Real Madrid)

Arbeloa set for Anfield return

Alvaro Arbeloa will snub the advances of Chelsea and Arsenal to return to Merseyside, according to reports in The Express.

The Real Madrid defender has grown frustrated at the Bernabeu this campaign, with teammate Dani Carvajal now Carlo Ancelotti's first choice right-back.

He has made just four La Liga starts for Los Blancos and wants regular football - something he thinks he will get at Anfield.

The 31-year-old spent two-and-a-half years with Liverpool between 2007 and 2009, making 98 appearances.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/liverpool-news-transfers-alvaro-arbeloa-4969568

Liverpool Transfer News: £8m Lavezzi bid, Arbeloa return, Skrtel contract talks

Former Kop favourite Alvaro Arbeloa could be on his way back to Anfield.

Alvaro Arbeloa is keen on a return to Liverpool
Arbeloa has lost his place at Real Madrid to Dani Carvajal and is hoping to leave the Bernabeu in January.

The 31-year-old is also wanted by Arsenal and Chelsea but prefers a return to Liverpool.

http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/551731/Liverpool-Transfer-News-Lavezzi-Arbeloa-Skrtel


Make of it what you will, but could we do any worse.

I don't follow Spanish football, so I can not comment how he is doing, but I guess he is a casualty of Real Madrid's Circle of Life.

He would be a good option to have given that it's definitely time to get rid of Johnson.
He loves the club and has played at the highest level, his experience can be very very useful. He won't need time to adapt to the team too.

He'd be a great signing in my humble. 

He'd be a great signing in my humble. 

Agree.

Never wanted him to leave.

Really doubt this'll happen but if it does, with his versatility, he could slot straight into that RCB role in the 3-man defence and move Can into central midfield

Really doubt this'll happen but if it does, with his versatility, he could slot straight into that RCB role in the 3-man defence and move Can into central midfield

Just to confirm Brian78 and Vicks86 are 2 completely different people but this is just about word for word what I was going to write! 

Should never have got rid in the first place

Should never have got rid in the first place

Didn't have much choice did we?

I would love him back and would play him as our main RCB in a 2 or 3 man defence.

Open arms, the lad was wonderful for us & I'm pretty sure would walk into Rodgers team, gutted when he left.

I would love him back and would play him as our main RCB in a 2 or 3 man defence.

I agree, if we're keeping with the 3 at the back he would be very good for that, don't think hes quite cut out for being right wing back as he can't offer much going forward, but and experienced defender and with getting rid of Johnson and possibly Toure he would be a useful addition

What's this about lavezzi in the op? Love lavezzi, sign him up. When it comes to arbeloa, we have players for that position.

Never should have left and will walk into our XI.

but I'm going to go out on a limb and say there is no chance of this happening.

he must be on absurd wages at Madrid.

he loves us but he won't love how much emptier his wallet is if he comes back.

Carvajal is currently preferred to Arbeloa at Real Madrid, so this is a move that's not too outlandish or unrealistic. Wages could be a problem, especially considering we didn't give him a better contract his first time around (under different ownership to be fair).

I preferred Arbeloa to Johnson in 2009. I prefer Arbeloa to Johnson in 2015. At 31, he might be more of a temporary option to give Manquillo some more time to develop. Would be a smart move on our part.

Just to confirm Brian78 and Vicks86 are 2 completely different people but this is just about word for word what I was going to write!

 

Please be true and get it done how in gods name he was allowed to leave anfield for such a paltry fee was ridiculous .
Vastly superior to Glenda .

Didn't have much choice did we?

Yes. He was under contract for another year so we were under no obligation to sell and we got barely anything for him anyway so I'd have rather we lost him on a free the following year and had another season of a reliable right back instead of the clown Johnson.

It would be a giant step in the right direction, if we could re-sign him, Surely FSG must realise a player of Arbeloa's calibre are needed if the club has any chance of competing amongst Europe's elite. Even if it means digging a little deeper into their pockets over wages. Surely the benefits will overcome the higher wage bill in the long term.

Not needed for me, unless we're looking for a bit part player. 

Not needed for me, unless we're looking for a bit part player. 

He would be first choice for me. Ahead of Skrtel, Toure, Sahko, Lovren etc etc. I would love us to buy him and play him in central defense for the next 2-3 years. He really is an exceptional player.

He would be first choice for me. Ahead of Skrtel, Toure, Sahko, Lovren etc etc. I would love us to buy him and play him in central defense for the next 2-3 years. He really is an exceptional player.

That's getting a bit carried away for me.
In retrospect we should have kept him, said no thank you to ole' Glen and happily collected the rest of the cash owed to us by Pompey(for selling them Crouchy), in turn using it to improve Arbeloa's contract. Every top team needs dependable grunts like him, but I wouldn't call him exceptional.

Get him in if the price is right; if not he is by no means the only player who could improve our defense

I like Arbeloa, he's a solid consistent performer, he won't ever set the world alight with his performances, but you know you are going to get a solid performance from him %90 of the time he steps on to the pitch, no brainer for me, if we can get him, get him in.

I'd really like to see this happening. Could be great for young Manquillo to learn from too

He would be first choice for me. Ahead of Skrtel, Toure, Sahko, Lovren etc etc. I would love us to buy him and play him in central defense for the next 2-3 years. He really is an exceptional player.

Easy tiger if half what you say is true he would be a regular at Madrid. Mind you even I could probably get in ahead of Lovren!

He's 31 so not one for the future, not great going forward but definitely experienced enough to take Can's place assuming we stick with the 3 at the back, letting him play in his preferred position.
Only downside would be him hindering the progression of Manquillo.

Not sure he will be offered the wages he will want.

WELCOME HOME 

We desperately need the experience at the back. The current defensive coaches don't seem to have a clue. Perhaps he could improve the back line just doing what comes naturally to him.

Only down fall to this deal is that he will be 32 by the time he does sign - if he does sign. Always rated him and was confused when he left, especially for peanuts.

Memories play tricks, don't they? Arbeloa is a solid player but he was never as good as some seem to make him out to be.

As a central defender, when we tried him there - and we did try him there - he wasn't very successful at all, so I fail to see how anyone might want this.

As a fullback, he was never that great either; indeed, in that fateful 2008-09 season, I remember quite a few games (such as our 4-4 against Arsenal) in which Arbeloa was heavily criticized, many seeing him as a weak spot in a back four that consisted of superior players such as Carragher, Agger and Fabio Aurelio.

Few tears were shed when he left. But maybe this is the difference between a player coming from small Deportivo and the same guy coming from Real Madrid. All of a sudden we change our memories to suit the tale we want to be told.

This won't happen nor should it.

Is he free? We definitely love a steal.

Memories play tricks, don't they? Arbeloa is a solid player but he was never as good as some seem to make him out to be.

As a central defender, when we tried him there - and we did try him there - he wasn't very successful at all, so I fail to see how anyone might want this.

As a fullback, he was never that great either; indeed, in that fateful 2008-09 season, I remember quite a few games (such as our 4-4 against Arsenal) in which Arbeloa was heavily criticized, many seeing him as a weak spot in a back four that consisted of superior players such as Carragher, Agger and Fabio Aurelio.

Few tears were shed when he left. But maybe this is the difference between a player coming from small Deportivo and the same guy coming from Real Madrid. All of a sudden we change our memories to suit the tale we want to be told.

Disagree completely mate.

Nothing to do with him being at Real for me.

Thought he was great here and didn't want him to leave.

Rafa made Arbeloa what he is today, Rafa organised our defence in such a way that it suited mediocre players. Arbeloa is above average, but BR in charge of defensive tactics he would probably look sh*te.

Memories play tricks, don't they? Arbeloa is a solid player but he was never as good as some seem to make him out to be.

As a central defender, when we tried him there - and we did try him there - he wasn't very successful at all, so I fail to see how anyone might want this.

As a fullback, he was never that great either; indeed, in that fateful 2008-09 season, I remember quite a few games (such as our 4-4 against Arsenal) in which Arbeloa was heavily criticized, many seeing him as a weak spot in a back four that consisted of superior players such as Carragher, Agger and Fabio Aurelio.

Few tears were shed when he left. But maybe this is the difference between a player coming from small Deportivo and the same guy coming from Real Madrid. All of a sudden we change our memories to suit the tale we want to be told.

Absolutely true and we do seem to be getting carried away.

However, I watched him at Real a few times last year and he still looked solid, organised and dependable. He is by no means the answer to our prayers, but his experience could be a huge asset.

If we played him as part of 3 man defence, it may work. I would happily get him back because our defence looks shambles at the moment.

Absolutely true and we do seem to be getting carried away.

However, I watched him at Real a few times last year and he still looked solid, organised and dependable. He is by no means the answer to our prayers, but his experience could be a huge asset.

If we played him as part of 3 man defence, it may work. I would happily get him back because our defence looks shambles at the moment.

Out defence looks a lot better since adopting the 3 man defence and it allows us to utilise Can in the team who I believe offers more than Arbeloa would in that position. We also have Manquillo available plus Flanagan, Johnson and Toure to return. So I think we have enough cover in this area until the Summer.

Out defence looks a lot better since adopting the 3 man defence and it allows us to utilise Can in the team who I believe offers more than Arbeloa would in that position. We also have Manquillo available plus Flanagan, Johnson and Toure to return. So I think we have enough cover in this area until the Summer.

I completely agree about the 3 man defence comment, and that Can has made a huge difference. I'd add though that Can is a bit wasted at the back. He offers far more as a DM. The only reason why he's starting there is because of lack of options and a sign of how sh1t everyone else has been.

GJ is sh1te and Toure is inconsistent. Don't think Flanno will really get into the swing of things this season after so long out and Manquillo still developing, though I quite like the lad. I just think Arbeloa's discipline and consistency is something that would help right now.

Having said that, I wouldn't exactly throw my toys out of the pram if he didn't arrive. A GK and a striker are of far more pressing urgency.

I look at Can playing and it feels like he could be doing something like Xabi Alonso is doing at Bayern.

All the pros and cons on how good a player, Arbeloa really is, he surely would be a big plus the way the defence is playing at present.

Arby was absolute class for us, was gutted when he left personally.

Not sure why people want us to sign him to play centre half though.

Arby in a back four as a right back, no problem. Arby in a back three as a right sided centre back, not so sure on this one?

Loved Arby and we should never have let him go. The most important thing is that Arbeloa can actually defend, Johnson cannot.

To all those dissing Arby? This is the Arby that has averaged 25 games a Season for the last 5 Seasons at one of the biggest and most most demanding Clubs in the world.

He can't be that bad?

I'd have him back in a heartbeat but we are stacked with good defenders that just aren't being drilled properly. Our poor defending this Season has been down to organisation, not bad defenders.

Memories play tricks, don't they? Arbeloa is a solid player but he was never as good as some seem to make him out to be.

As a central defender, when we tried him there - and we did try him there - he wasn't very successful at all, so I fail to see how anyone might want this.

As a fullback, he was never that great either; indeed, in that fateful 2008-09 season, I remember quite a few games (such as our 4-4 against Arsenal) in which Arbeloa was heavily criticized, many seeing him as a weak spot in a back four that consisted of superior players such as Carragher, Agger and Fabio Aurelio.

Few tears were shed when he left. But maybe this is the difference between a player coming from small Deportivo and the same guy coming from Real Madrid. All of a sudden we change our memories to suit the tale we want to be told.

Don't take away people's reasons to complain

I agree. Arby would not be high on my list right now.