Alonso says he is 'happy at Liverpool'

Xabi Alonso intends to stay at Liverpool reports Sky News. Earlier this week Alonso sent the media into speculation overdrive when he refused to answer a question put to him by Spanish radio station ‘Cadena Ser,’ if he “would be disappointed having to stay at Liverpool next season.”

Now Alonso has tried to put the speculation to bed in an interview with Spanish newspaper ‘El Pais, he said: "I am happy at Liverpool but in football you cannot close the doors on anything because you don't know what will happen. I do not plan to go. With Sami Hyypia already gone, I am one of the senior players alongside Jamie Carragher and Steven Gerrard. There was strong interest in me from Madrid (in 2004) but Liverpool came and that is where I went. It was not a wrong decision, not for me anyway. I have played at Liverpool, a special club, and grown as a player and won titles."

The Spanish midfielder has also moved to end speculation that his relationship with Benitez was strained: "Each one has his own point of view. He is the manager and I try to do the best with what he tells me," Alonso added. "We have a good professional relationship. We speak normally, saying what he wants from me and what I can give. He makes the decisions and we try to execute them. Last summer there was certain indecision and I did not know what was going to happen. I finished up playing well, though. I have had two quite complete seasons."

This interview has been ignored by most of the press who are still intent on reporting the player will leave Liverpool. Today's Mirror states Chelsea "will go head-to-head with Real Madrid in an £18million battle for the Liverpool star." Contradicting Alonso's own words, the article claims his "relationship with the manager became increasingly frosty last season and it now looks likely that he will be on his way out of Liverpool this summer," and "Chelsea have also been alerted to Alonso’s unrest."