Juventus eye £12m move for Alonso as Liverpool look to sell

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Juventus director Jean-Claude Blanc was in Liverpool yesterday for a meeting with manager Rafael Benitez, according to media reports in Italy.Alonso, who is in Spain's squad for the Euro 2008 finals next month, has recently claimed he still has a future at Anfield, but a move to Juventus would certainly interest him.

On his way out: Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso has made few appearances this season and be joining Juventus.

Benitez is understood to have been told he must sell as well as buy this summer as he looks to re-build a squad that were eliminated from the Champions League at the semi-final stages of the competition and finished fourth in the Barclays Premier League. The Spaniard is trying to tie up a move for England international midfielder Gareth Barry to Anfield for £10million and the departure of Alonso would not be a surprise. Alonso was one of Benitez's first signings when he took over as manager four years ago, arriving for £10.5million from Real Sociedad. The 26-year-old has played 163 games for the club and scored 14 goals but found his senior appearances restricted last season following the £18.6million arrival of Javier Mascherano and with young Brazilian midfielder Lucas also making an impact.

He was only a late substitute in Liverpool's final home game of the season against Manchester City and then did not figure at all in the last match at Tottenham.

The Spaniard could be one of several players to leave the club this summer.

Benitez also left out Jermaine Pennant, John Arne Riise and Peter Crouch from the side at Spurs, along with Harry Kewell, who knew by then his contract would not be renewed. Benitez has already been active in the transfer market having signed defender Philipp Degen from Borussia Dortmund. The Liverpool manager is also believed to be chasing Ulrich Rame, Bordeaux's France international goalkeeper, and Italian left-back Andrea Dossena from Udinese. But the possible departure of Alonso will disappoint Liverpool fans, the Basque-born star being a key player over recent seasons and scorer of one of the goals in the 2005 Champions League final win in Istanbul.