Real Madrid's sporting director, Miguel Pardeza, says the club has not given up its pursuit of Xabi Alonso and Alvaro Arbeloa, but concedes that it will not be easy to sign them.
The Alonso saga has dragged on with conflicting reports throughout the summer, and many see Madrid's recent signing of Esteban Granero as a sign that the club has given up on him.
However, speaking to Publico, Pardeza denied that was the case, saying, "We do not see him [Granero] as an alternative to Xabi Alonso, as he has other characteristics.
"The problem with Alonso is there are no alternatives, with the way football is evolving, the creative central midfielder is becoming fewer and fewer.
"Alonso is not a fad, there are just not may alternatives - not in the Americas or in Europe are their players who can perform his task."
Pardeza then conceded that negotiating with Liverpool has not been an easy task, continuing, "They stalled, from day one - the demands of Liverpool were beyond what Madrid was willing to pay and that is very difficult to understand.
"That is not the way to get things done, but I have not given up hope we can solve this.
"As I said I do not believe this [Alonso] will be an easy situation to solve, and I don't for one minute think that [Javier] Mascherano will be easier to move than Alonso."
Pardeza continued, "On Arbeloa, that is an option which - for the time being - has come to nothing.
"Liverpool do not really have the desire to let him go, even though he has just a year left on his contract.
"But there is a month to go in the market and anything can change, and I would not deny that we would very much like to have Arbeloa."
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