ARBELOA TO MADRID

Alvaro Arbeloa says he is "realising a dream" by returning to Real Madrid.

The defender is due to complete his switch from Liverpool on Thursday and has spoken of his delight at being back in Spain.

He is to join for a fee for £3.5m after Liverpool decided to cash in on the 26-year-old, who was in the final year of his contract.

"I am realising a dream, the one of returning to Real," Arbeloa told AS. "A member of the cantera [youth side] always carries Real in his heart. I had a bad past few days, while waiting for everything to formalise.

"Every player of my generation left saying the same, that we wanted to make our mark in the Primera Division. It was the year of presidential elections in which Florentino Perez decided to leave and Ramon Calderon arrived.

"In that board there was a certain ignorance about what the cantera had. Fabio Capello arrived with his taste for veterans."

Arbeloa insists he is returning to La Liga a better player than when he left in 2005.

This is another good signing for Madrid along with Albiol in defence. This helps sures up a defence that has many holes in it and gives them room to play with at the wingback position.