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Arsenal fail in late bid to sign Xavi Alonso
Evening Standard 2 Sep 2008Arsenal had a last-ditch attempt to sign Xavi Alonso rejected after submitting an improved offer, thought to be around £14million, for the Spanish international midfielder.
Rafael Benitez had insisted that the player was not for sale but was understood to be willing to let him leave Anfield for closer to £17m.
His failure to sell Alonso led to the collapse of the transfer for Aston Villa's Gareth Barry with Liverpool's American owners unable to raise the necessary funding. Arsene Wenger saw Alonso as the perfect partner for Cesc Fabregas in midfield after selling two holding players - Mathieu Flamini and Gilberto Silva - in the summer.
Wenger last night also turned down an effort by Cardiff to get former player Aaron Ramsey back on loan until the end of the season.
Reader views (4)
14mill would have been too much for Alonso imo. But we did need some fresh blood-we need to get lucky with injuries now and also trust there is something in Diaby or Song that he has seen which we have not a la Flamini!
Sad to say I don't think Denilson is the answer, but who knows. I for one was wrong about Flam and freddie Ljungberg come to that!
- Arsenalbob, studham, 03/09/2008 09:13
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I think AW should say some prayers for the team because if we don't win anything this season he will have no place to hide. All this tight fisted attitude has not taken us anywhere.
- Mavwe, Toronto, Canada, 03/09/2008 01:52
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Because Arsenal hasn't got bundles of cash - they have to pay off that stadium for the next 250 years!
- Des Channer, London, 03/09/2008 00:24
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I thought Wenger had £30M to spend...why let the perfect player go for the sake of a "measly" £3 million?
- John Entwistle, Hertford, 02/09/2008 11:52
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