Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez left Javier Mascherano gobsmacked when he delivered his pitch to the Argie as talks began over taking him from West Ham.
The Daily Mail says the pursuit of a prospect hailed by Diego Maradona as ?a monster, the most impressive of all Argentina's young players' may have ended only three days ago, but its roots can be traced back years.
When Benitez delivered his sales pitch at Mascherano's Canary Wharf apartment a few weeks ago, he left the 22-year-old openmouthed with a detailed appraisal of his strengths and weaknesses. After months of growing disillusionment at West Ham, the sound of another Premiership manager marvelling at the way the first of 22 caps preceded his club debut by 12 months and analysing virtually every Argentina appearance, lifted his spirits.
It was Benitez at work as few others can and the four hours flew by as he singled out a man-marking job on Brazil's Ronaldinho for particular praise and even lifted pebbles out of a nearby fountain to illustrate where Mascherano would fit in alongside Steven Gerrard and Xabi Alonso in midfield.
With Momo Sissoko succumbing to injury once more on Wednesday, the theory could be put into practice sooner than expected, with Mascherano having form for subduing Barcelona matchwinner Ronaldinho.
It is an option that is clearly under review judging by Mascherano's presence on the bench in the Nou Camp and Benitez's assertion that he is "ready to play straightaway after training really well".
The Daily Mail says the pursuit of a prospect hailed by Diego Maradona as ?a monster, the most impressive of all Argentina's young players' may have ended only three days ago, but its roots can be traced back years.
When Benitez delivered his sales pitch at Mascherano's Canary Wharf apartment a few weeks ago, he left the 22-year-old openmouthed with a detailed appraisal of his strengths and weaknesses. After months of growing disillusionment at West Ham, the sound of another Premiership manager marvelling at the way the first of 22 caps preceded his club debut by 12 months and analysing virtually every Argentina appearance, lifted his spirits.
It was Benitez at work as few others can and the four hours flew by as he singled out a man-marking job on Brazil's Ronaldinho for particular praise and even lifted pebbles out of a nearby fountain to illustrate where Mascherano would fit in alongside Steven Gerrard and Xabi Alonso in midfield.
With Momo Sissoko succumbing to injury once more on Wednesday, the theory could be put into practice sooner than expected, with Mascherano having form for subduing Barcelona matchwinner Ronaldinho.
It is an option that is clearly under review judging by Mascherano's presence on the bench in the Nou Camp and Benitez's assertion that he is "ready to play straightaway after training really well".
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