Bayern Munich's Xabi Alonso to retire by end of season: Report
At the end of Bayern's recent winter camp, Alonso, 35, told the club's management that he did not want to renew his contract, German magazine Sport Bild said on Wednesday, reports Efe.
Bayern was planning to extend Alonso's contract for another year, just like Frenchman Franck Ribery and Dutch Arjen Robben.
The magazine explained that the Bavarian club took the former Spanish international's wishes into consideration, while it left the door open for his renewal in case he changed his mind.
If Xabi insists on leaving Bayern he will end a career that has extended over the past 18 years, in which he won several titles, including two Champions League trophies, with Liverpool and Real Madrid, as well as the European Championship and the World Cup with Spain.-Agency