Football FanCast columnist Rob Facey asks if Liverpool are making a mistake by selling Xabi Alonso only to replace him with Gareth Barry.

Xabi Alonso, the Liverpool midfielder that ran the game against Greece as Spain progressed to the quarter finals this week, is expected to be swapping Merseyside for Turin this summer as he has confirmed Juventus are in negotiations with his club.

"At the moment, I'm a Liverpool player and I am just focusing on the Euros," Alonso said, as reported in The Times.

"You will have to ask Liverpool what is happening. I have four more years of my contract and my plans are to start next season with Liverpool unless there is a change. I can't really say any more. It's between the two clubs."

Alonso has been a loyal servant to the Reds and has kept the midfield ticking over nicely since his arrival from Atletico Madrid, but is it time for the Spanish international to move on?

Liverpool are more than equipped in his position, such is always the way at Anfield, but are they in danger of letting one of Europe's best passers of the ball leave without much of a fight. Players always seem to leave Anfield for a cut price fee - should the board hold out for a higher offer or is £11m justified?

Would Barry fare any better than Alonso in the Liverpool midfield? Javier Mascherano and Steven Gerrard would be the first choice pairing, although Benitez's penchant for shuffling the Liverpool skipper around the pitch means that whoever is next in line will play a fair amount of games.

How worrying is it that Liverpool is starting to offload players such as Riise and Alonso in order to finance transfers of players of lesser or equal ability? Are the American owners merely being sensible regarding the clubs money situation or are they in such dire straits that they must sell before any progress can be made in the market?

The Liverpool midfield may be bustling at the moment, but the centre is not the problem.

The fans are desperate for wingers and players with natural width, so the question has to be asked whether Benitez is making a mistake by replacing Alonso with Barry.

Would Barry be an adequate replacement for Alonso? The players are both excellent passers and remarkable similar in their style - both preferring to control the game from deep positions. Would Benitez merely be swapping like for like?