Xabi Alonso Not leaving Liverpool

Rafa Benitez has moved to play down talk of Xabi Alonso leaving Liverpool.

The Spanish midfielder did not play in the 1-1 friendly draw with Thailand on Wednesday, and was quoted as saying he could offer no 'guarantees' about his future.

Real Madrid are still keen to sign Alonso, and reports in the Spanish on Thursday claimed a deal was all but done.

However, Liverpool have denied this, and Benitez said after the squad arrived in Singapore on Thursday: "Alonso is here and he will enjoy the weather and the fans and the journalists.

"He is ready and can play."

A Liverpool spokesman backed up his manager, saying: "Xabi is with us in Singapore, and will train with the rest of the squad. He was injured ahead of the Thailand game, people can say what they like about that.

"And there has been no deal agreed with anyone for his transfer to anyone."

Benitez went on to dismiss speculation that Javier Mascherano also wants out of Anfield.

His agent, Walter Tamer, was quoted on Wednesday as saying the Argentine midfielder was tired of life in England, and favoured a move to Barcelona.

However, Benitez said: "In the press these days there are too many websites, too many newspapers, radio, television. You have to have stories every day so sometimes you repeat something from 15 days ago.

"It's much the same situation, he knows our ideas. He's been working very hard and he's a very important player for us."

Real Madrid have also been linked with Alvaro Arbeloa as well as Alonso and the club's sport director Miguel Pardeza said: "With Arbeloa there was an option which, at the moment, has come to nothing.

"Liverpool haven't had much intention of letting him go, even though he has one year left on his contract, and we are still in this situation.

"There is more than a month of the transfer market left and this could change. I'm not going to deny that we'd like to have Arbeloa."

On Alonso's future, Pardeza said: "From day one, Liverpool have asked for more than Madrid are ready to pay and it's very difficult to understand. But I've not lost hope that things can be resolved."