Real Madrid are pondering a move for Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso.

The Spanish giants are looking for new blood in their engine room as they bid to keep up with bitter rivals Barcelona.

Arsenal teenager Cesc Fabregas is one of their targets after Fernando Martin replaced Florentino Perez as president recently.

And the latest man to be linked with a move to the Bernabeu is Liverpool ace Alonso.

He was close to a move to Real before eventually leaving Real Sociedad for Anfield in a £10million deal in the summer of 2004.

And now he's once again seen as a future lynchpin for Los Galacticos.

Spanish daily Marca claims Alonso was on the verge of joining Real two seasons ago, but the deal never came off because then coach Jose Antonio Camacho preferred Patrick Vieira instead.

And now the paper claims Real have rekindled their interest in the stylish Spanish international.