Former Liverpool manager, Rafa Benitez, has revealed that Xabi Alonso had an agreement to join Arsenal back in 2009.

Alonso represented the Reds for five years, winning the Champions League under Benitez in 2005.

He eventually went on to play for Real Madrid and Bayern Munich after leaving Anfield in 2009.

However, he almost ended up signing for Liverpool’s Premier League rivals, Arsenal.

Alonso had reached an agreement with the Gunners and was reluctant to play in a Champions League qualifier as he didn’t want to be cup-tied.

But circumstances beyond Alonso’s control meant that he played in the fixture and, ultimately, ended up staying.

Speaking on the Sky Bet Stick to Football podcast, Benitez said: “We played Standard de Liege for a Champions League qualifier and we had Javier Mascherano and Lucas Leiva in the Olympic Games, Steven Gerrard had a lower back problem, so we had to play [Damien] Plessis and Xabi.

“Xabi had an agreement with Arsenal and didn’t want to get cup tied.

“I told Jamie Carragher and Gerrard before the game that he had an agreement and doesn’t want to play, but he must because it is the most important game to qualify for the Champions League. Then when you were going out for the warm-ups, you said, ‘Poor Xabi.’ Not poor Xabi, he is playing for our club at this time. During the season he was our best player and didn’t go to Arsenal because he had to play [for us].‌”

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