Finally it's over. After a seemingly endless courtship and game of one-ups-manship, Liverpool have sold midfielder Xabi Alonso to Real Madrid for a cool £30m. Whether Alonso will have any kind of an impact at Real is unclear as their newly constructed club features other star midfielders like Kaká and Cristiano Ronaldo. But what is almost certain is the major downgrade on Merseyside.
It's true, Liverpool is still a very strong club and capable of having a better season than three-quarters of the English Premier League. But with their second-place finish last season, high hopes have been pinned on the Reds to compete again for the title. Losing Alonso, regardless of how the £30m in return is spent, is a serious loss. His passing and decision-making skills are nearly unmatched and his camaraderie with Fernando Torres gave Liverpool a potent, yet calculated attack.
