FC Bayern Munich have confirmed the signing of Xabi Alonso from Real Madrid CF on a two-year deal.
The Spain international, 32, arrives in Munich following injuries to Bastian Schweinsteiger, Thiago Alcantara and Javi Martinez, who will be out until at least the New Year after rupturing his anterior cruciate knee ligament in the German Super Cup defeat to Borussia Dortmund earlier this month.
The addition of Alonso comes a few days after the club completed the capture of highly-rated centre-back Mehdi Benatia for a reported fee of €30 million.
Benatia, 27, had been attracting interest from several top English Premier League clubs, including the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United.
“When Bayern are interested in you then you must not hesitate for a single second,” Alonso said. “I am looking forward to what lies ahead. I am proud at my age to have another chance to play for such a great club.
“It was a question of motivation and having finished a cycle.
“We achieved the goal of everyone to win the ‘Decima’ last season and I think in many ways that ended a cycle and it is the time to start afresh.
“To be able to give 100 percent, I needed a new challenge if I am honest and I told this to the club.”
Alonso started both legs of the Spanish Super Cup before being dropped for the European champions’ first Liga BBVA match of 2014/15 against Cordoba on Monday.
That said, Alonso’s exit from the Bernabéu was just a matter of time. The arrival of Toni Kroos from Bayern Munich and extension of Luka Modric’s contract earlier this summer made the club’s intentions quite clear.
Demetriou joins Swansea
Swansea City have completed the signing of Cyprus international striker James Demetriou on a two-year deal.
Demetriou, 19, joins the Swans on a free transfer after his contract at Nottingham Forest expired at the end of last term.
The 19-yea-old will become part of Swansea’s reserves, but hopes to break into the first-team later this season.
“It’s great to be here,” Demetriou said. “It has taken a long time to get sorted but it feels good and I just want to get my head down now and focus on the season ahead.
“Swansea are a Premier League club, they play a great brand of football and they are a team that gives young players an opportunity.
“My short-term aim is to get game time and try to score as many goals as I can, but long-term I want to break into the first team here and impress the manager.”
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