Liverpool and Real Madrid are both understood to be keen on signing their former player Xabi Alonso.

The Spanish midfielder featured for Liverpool between 2004 and 2009 when he signed for Real. He spent five years with the Bernabeu heavyweights, and left for Bayern Munich in 2014 after winning the Champions League—the Merengues’ tenth—after a final victory over Atletico Madrid.

The 34-year-old is coming to the end of his contract at Bayern, and with the Bavarian giants unwilling to offer him the three-year deal he wants [as per the Telegraph], the deep-lying playmaker may be pushed towards the exit door.

New Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp is understood to be keen on the player—again via the Telegraph—and is understood to be considering a move to bring the Reds legend back to Merseyside.

Liverpool Xabi Alonso: Can Reds see off Real Madrid to re-sign their former star?

However, he faces competition from current Real manager Rafael Benitez—the man who initially took Alonso to England—with the under-pressure Blancos boss also keen on forcing a reunion with his former protégé [talkSPORT via the Telegraph].

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Basque midfielder Alonso is one of the game’s living legends, having won two Champions Leagues, the Liga BBVA and the Bundesliga title, the World Cup—Spain’s first—in 2010 and two European Championship titles (in 2008 and 2012).