Spanish midfielder Xabi Alonso said he began to consider leaving Liverpool when they wanted to sell him last summer. The 27-year-old joined Real Madrid in the close season after spending five years at Anfield, during which he established himself as a key player in the heart of Liverpool's midfield. Prior to the start of the 2008/2009 season, the English Premier League side sought to sell him to raise funds for the purchase of then Aston Villa midfielder Gareth Barry. "Last summer the club proposed me that I might have to be sold to find funds for new players," Alonso told Sky Sports. "It was a difficult decision or difficult moment to accept that. I accepted that as a professional and that moment probably changed my mind and I thought that maybe from that moment that maybe it was time for a change." Alonso made his competitive debut with Real in their 3-2 victory over Deportivo La Coruna in the Primera Liga opener.
