Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez is seriously considering selling Xabi Alonso.

The Daily Mail says Liverpool have earmarked a chunk of their squad as being disposable this summer, and the manager accepts he will have to offload players to fund the signings he wants, which could slow the process.

One way of raising funds would be to sell Xabi amid growing interest from Real Madrid. If Benitez decides to sell the Spain midfielder, he would rather do business with Real but he is also weighing up other options.

Real are keen to revive their fortunes after trailing Barcelona in La Liga this season and crashing out to Liverpool in the Champions League.

After being heavily criticised by fans for ditching their interest in Alonso and settling instead for the cheaper option of Denmark's Christian Poulsen, Juventus could yet re-enter the race and launch a second attempt to sign the 27-year-old.