The English football club Liverpool have moved quickly to line up a replacement for Xabi Alonso when they agreed a deal with AS Roma to sign Italy midfielder Alberto Aquilani subject to a medical.
The 25-year-old slick-passing Aquilani is likely to play an important role for Italy in next year's World Cup finals.
Aquilani is Liverpool's second major signing of the close season after England right back Glen Johnson joined from Portsmouth for an undisclosed fee in June.
Roma needed to sell at least one of their best players to finance their close-season transfer dealings.
