Arbeloa could be off

[Sarb]

according to the Times. Personal reasons. Problems at right-back coming up if that happens

[SB]

according to the Times. Personal reasons. Problems at right-back coming up if that happens

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

[Harv]

i wouldnt have a problem letting him go if a good offer (£8m+) came in.

He's handy, but not overly great at anything.

[keniget]

8M is an absurd fee for Arbeloa though. Mid-tier Spanish clubs don't pay that sort of money for players like him. I don't think any club would.

[Pablo]

We really cant afford to let him go. He was going to be 1st choice right back this season by the looks of things! Hes also brilliant cover at left back.

Im not sure I believe this. I just dont get it, the lad always seemed so happy. I hope nothing has gone wrong, family problems etc.

I cant see a big offer coming in for him particularly if all the Spanish clubs know he is keen to leave. We would probably get around £5m for him, and for that he'll be pretty hard to replace.

[Jop]

Arbeloa Leaving

Friday 25 July
Telegraph Media Group

By Richard Morgan
Last Updated: 7:38AM BST 25 Jul 2008

Smiles better: Spurs captain Robbie Keane is set to swap north London for Merseyside Photo: AP
Keane is expected to put pen to paper on a £18 million deal over the weekend, despite his employers at White Hart Lane having lodged a formal complaint with the Premier League over Liverpool's conduct in this whole affair, although Spurs themselves made no comment before the fixture kicked off regarding their captain's subsequent absence from the team line-up.

It is believed that Keane, 28, has already informed Tottenham coach Juande Ramos of his desire to join Liverpool, the club he supported as a boy and the fact that the player was removed from the Spurs squad in Spain without suffering any apparent injury, unlike his strike partner Dimitar Berbatov, who played the whole 90 minutes, only heightens the sense that the transfer is a fait accompli.

However, that is not the case concerning Gareth Barry's on-off move to Anfield. Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez may now have £20m at his disposal following the close-season sales of Scott Carson, John Arne Riise, Danny Guthrie and Peter Crouch, but that has since been earmarked for Keane's transfer, a situation that threatens to leave both Barry himself, as well as his club Aston Villa, in limbo for the foreseeable future at least.

Benitez welcomes Xabi Alonso, Jose Manuel Reina and Alvaro Arbeloa all back to pre-season training today after the Spaniards were given more time off in which to recuperate following their country's triumph at Euro 2008, but unless he can find a club willing to part with £16m for Alonso, then it looks as though Barry may have to remain at Villa Park, at least until the next transfer window reopens in January.

It does appear though that one Spain international, full-back Arbeloa, will be departing the club, with the 25 year old said to be leaving Merseyside due to unspecified personal reasons.


any truth in this i wonder.

[redbuz]

It's in todays Daily Post too, so must be fairly accurate. Says he has personal problems & wants to return home!

[The Birdman]

Hope not but if true it might explain why Finnan wasn't offered as part of the Barry deal

[Pablo]

Must be some truth in it then. Finnan will have to stay on for another season and pick his game up, unless we get a replacement in very quickly.

[Elvis]

Looks like some serious dosh will need to be allocated to another right-back.....This will presumably have a knock-on effect on other deals...bugger.

[Tee]

Time to bring Micah Richards in. A top class RB/CB for the next 10 years - lets get hime before the Scum end up signing him I say.

[Carras_Shin_Pads]

Time to bring Micah Richards in. A top class RB/CB for the next 10 years - lets get hime before the Scum end up signing him I say.

Good and English, gonna cost a fortune!

[ianbridgeman]

Just reported on Radio City as well.

[Parm]

anyone know what's up with him? he always seemed quite happy to be here.

[Taffy]

I hope this isn't true as Arbeloa is a valuable squad player who can cover right across the back for us.

If Finnan does leave in a deal for Barry then it is crucial we keep Arbeloa, as then we'll only have Deggen (who's new and could take time to settle), Darby (who's inexperienced), and maybe Carra. Carra could cover but we'd lose a more fluent attacking threat from that flank, in my opinion, and the others wouldn't fill me will confidence, especially in the big games and CL.

Losing both Finnan and Arbeloa at the same time would be a disaster for us, and if the stories are true then we could be in trouble here. If a big offer does come in for Arbeloa then maybe it would be best to do a deal, but we'd still need another new face for the right back position - and probably at a high cost too!

If he is unsettled over here and wants to return to Spain then surely the club would have known about this a while ago and would have something in place, especially if they are offering Finnan to Villa - or maybe this is why Darby is getting game-time in the pre-season games perhaps!?

It would be sad to lose Arbeloa though as I see him as a very useful option.