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.
Manchester United are certainly going to have a harder time this season and now Liverpool have been hit hard as well. But it's possible they're still the best two clubs in England. Can Chelsea adopt the style of Carlo Ancelotti in time to compete for this year's title, especially when his focus is on the Champions League? What about Arsenal, do they have enough to keep up with the top three? And Manchester City, how do their outrageous acquisitions affect the balance at the top? These questions won't be answered until the matches start on August 15, but one thing is certain, Xabi Alonso's move away from the Premier League is a serious change.
Keywords: Liverpool, Premiership, Real Madrid, Transfer Window, Xabi Alonso
