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Six days before Xabi Alonso followed, Alvaro Arbeloa completed his medical and rubber stamped his move to Real.
Liverpool received a fee of around £3.5m for the experienced defender
In truth, Arbeloa's departure was overshadowed by that of Alonso's less than a week later
Rafa Benitez's side had pushed Manchester United all the way in 2008/09, losing just twice all season and collecting 86 points
Liverpool had scored a league-high total of 77 goals, nine more than United or Chelsea had managed, but had displayed excellent defensive balance by conceding just 27 -
Arbeloa had been a huge part of that. The Spanish international, who turns 41 today, had been a quiet presence in Liverpool's backline
It wasn't a move he expected, later admitting that the call from the Reds came completely out the blue
Arbeloa would make 41 appearances the following season and then 43 in his final campaign for Liverpool
So eyebrows were raised when Benitez moved quickly to spend £17.5m on Portsmouth right-back Glen Johnson, essentially paving the way for Arbeloa's exit.
Johnson, a decent player in his own right, was seen as a more attacking option and somebody who could add a new dimension to Liverpool's team
Benitez admitted that Johnson, who had turned down Manchester City and a return to Chelsea, arriving could spell the end for Arbeloa
Benitez
"We were thinking about bringing in players with quality - that's the first thing,"
"He is also English and that is important for the Champions League list. We were thinking about improving the team and Johnson is a very good player who will do that."
Benitez added:
"Arbeloa was a good player for us last year. The thing is, he has one year left on his contract. We have offered him an extension and we're talking.
"He is our player but if there is a good offer we have to consider it. We have two or three clubs asking about him. He would like to stay but he knows the competition will be hard."
Arbeloa admitted that Johnson's arrival all but confirmed his desire to leave. “
Arbeloa
You think: ‘We’ve nearly won the league and the first thing you do is buy a £20m right-back?’,” Arbeloa recalled.
I said: ‘Listen, thanks for everything’. He (Benitez) couldn’t say I had to stay. He had a right-back and I had a call from Madrid."
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