Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho is making a personal push to bring Real Madrid midfielder Xabi Alonso back to England. The Daily Express says the 32-year-old former Liverpool midfielder has been made available by the Spanish club, and Chelsea are at the head of a queue of English clubs interested in signing him.

Alonso is wanted by Jose Mourinho specifically as a holding midfielder, with Frank Lampard now 35 and out injured for the next three weeks.

He is out of contract at the end of this season and surplus to requirements at the Bernabeu.

Real would require a fee but it would not be large, and the player gets on well with Mourinho after their spell together in the Spanish capital.