“He was eager to join”: Cesc Fabregas reveals that Xabi Alonso was pleading with everyone to let him join Arsenal before eventually transferring to Real Madrid.
“I was on the phone with Xabi all summer; he was desperate to join, practically begging everyone to make the move to Arsenal,” Cesc Fabregas revealed on the Arseblog podcast.
“He was very keen to come, and I did everything I could – I talked to the right people and shared my opinion that he would be a fantastic addition for us at that time. It was frustrating because it was so close – the player wanted to come, and the deal seemed so easy to make.
“As a player, I see things differently than a director. When a player wants to join, it usually happens, and Xabi Alonso was one of those cases.
“I remember talking to him throughout the holiday. He kept texting me asking ‘What’s happening?’ It was a shame because he would have been a great fit for that team. He was made for Arsenal, I think.”
Xabi Alonso spent five seasons at Anfield, where he was a key player in Rafa Benitez’s squad. His biggest success at Liverpool was the 2004/05 season when they won the Champions League by defeating Milan in a memorable final.
After the 2008/09 season, he transferred to Real Madrid for £30 million, where he helped win several trophies, including another Champions League title in the 2013/14 season.