Alvaro Arbeloa heads for Liverpool exit after Reds accept Real Madrid bid

Liverpool have announced that they have agreed a fee for full-back Alvaro Arbeloa to join Real Madrid.

The deal is worth £3.5million and is subject to a medical, which the Spanish international is expected to have at the Bernabeu today.

The announcement from Anfield underlines that the 26-year-old's move will not, as had been claimed, form part of a double deal that would also take Xabi Alonso to the Spanish club.

Arbeloa is in the final year of his contract, having joined Liverpool for £2.6m from Deportivo La Coruna in January 2007. He played 99 games for the club and scored two goals.

Liverpool consider the deal to be good business considering the player could leave for nothing next summer, and manager Benitez now has plenty of other options at right-back.

Benitez has already spent £17.5million on England full-back Glen Johnson, who would have taken Arbeloa's place in the side.

Liverpool also have Swiss international Philipp Degen now fit after rib and lung injuries ruled him out for all of last season, while Jamie Carragher has also filled in effectively at right-back.

Liverpool are also expected to soon announce the departure of Italian defender Andrea Dossena to Napoli.