Alonso set for Bayern medical

Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich are in ‘final talks’ with Real Madrid to sign Spanish midfielder Xabi Alonso, as the player is expected to arrive for his medical on Thursday.

The 32-year-old, who announced his retirement from international football on Wednesday after winning 114 caps for the Rojas, joined the Santiago Bernabeu outfit in 2009 after spending five years with Liverpool, where he also won the Champions League in 2004.

He has made 158 league appearances for the Whites, and was a part of Carlo Ancelotti’s squad that brought home the Champions League trophy last season.

Alonso signed a two-year contract extension with Madrid in January this year, but is now all set for his move to the Allianz Arena club, and the German club’s deputy chairman Jan-Christian Dreesen insists the deal has been ‘agreed in principle’.

“It is correct that we are in friendly and final talks with Real Madrid and will hopefully reach agreement in the next day or two,” he was quoted as saying by the Bavarians’ official website.

The former Real Sociedad player will be the Reds’ sixth signing, after having already brought in Robert Lewandowski, Pepe Reina, Mehdi Benatia, Sebastain Rode and Juan Bernat this year.