Alonso: Juve admission
Liverpool star Xabi Alonso has indicated he would still consider a move to Juventus even though the Italian giants turned down the chance to sign him in the summer.
Alonso was strongly linked with a switch to Turin as Liverpool were open to offers for the Spaniard as they chased Aston Villa’s Gareth Barry.
The 26-year-old ended up staying at Anfield after Juve refused to meet Liverpool’s asking price and Liverpool failed to agree a deal for Barry.
Juve coach Claudio Ranieri aimed a swipe at Alonso earlier this month explaining he did not sign the former Real Sociedad man because he was too slow.
Alonso says he bears no grudge against Juventus for signing Christian Poulsen instead of him and admits he would still be interested in a move to the Bianconeri if they came calling again for his services.
“To be honest, for my part, the attraction (to Juventus) has remained intact,” Alonso told Gazzetta dello Sport.
“One thing I can say is that I personally appreciated the honesty of the club executives.
“They told me their tactics on the pitch were different and that is why they chose Poulsen and not me.
“These are things that happen in football and it’s fine. I could have gone but I didn’t because, in the end, they chose someone else.
“Juventus are Juventus, the most prestigious club in Italy, but you cannot be disappointed when you play for Liverpool.”
TargetMeanwhile, reports emanating from Spain suggest Valencia have made Alonso one of their top transfer targets for next season.
Valencia coach Unai Emery is thought to be a big admirer of the Euro 2008 winner and he has put Alonso at the top of his shopping list.
Valencia sporting director Fernando Gomez refused to confirm the club’s interest in Alonson but admitted Alonso would be a valuable addition to any squad.
“The club has not stopped at this moment because it is always important to study the chances of the transfer market, but it is our custom not to speak about possible players,” Gomez told skysports.com.
“Nobody would deny Alonso is a big player and very valuable for any club.”
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