Benitez in £17m race to hang on to Mascherano
EXCLUSIVE by ASHLEY GRAY -
Liverpool have only a week to complete the signing of Javier Mascherano or risk losing him at the end of the season.
Mascherano has become a central figure in the battle behind the scenes between Rafa Benitez and the club's American owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett.
The Argentina midfielder is free to negotiate his future with other clubs from February 1 under the terms of his 'loan' arrangement.
The player, signed from West Ham almost a year ago, is 50 percent owned by businessman Kia Joorabchian's sports investment company MSI and has a £17million buy-out clause in his complicated Anfield contract, which expires at the end of the season.
Benitez desperately wants to keep the player, who has become a key performer in the holding role. Mascherano wants to stay at the club but at £17m he is not seen as an 'impact signing' by some members of the Liverpool board.
Mascherano, who is frustrated that the deal has not been completed, told Argentina's Radio La Red: 'I would love to stay here. I have tried and I've adapted to the city very well.'
Liverpool, struggling to find further investment to strengthen the team while talks about the refinancing deal for the new stadium have been going on, were still trying on Thursday to sell Momo Sissoko to Juventus to help fund the Mascherano deal.
'Javier wants to stay,' a friend confirmed from Argentina on Thursday night, 'but it is looking less likely every day. Liverpool must make up their minds and decide if they want him. Right now it looks as if he might go — and he is very reluctant to do that.
'He may not be considered as an impact signing by some, but the manager knows the qualities he brings to the team and every team needs his type of player in the modern game. Javier believes it is time for him to settle now. The rest is up to Liverpool.'
It has been noted that while Manchester United's owners did not delay in signing Michael Carrick and Owen Hargreaves to play the holding role, Liverpool's own American supremos have not moved as quickly to land Mascherano.
Liverpool may be running out of time but they still have first option on a player who has 35 Argentina caps at the age of 23.
The list of alternative clubs is growing with Barcelona, Manchester City, Juventus and Tottenham among those who have expressed an interest and are waiting for encouragement from Mascherano's aides.
The £17m fee was agreed under the terms of Mascherano's move from West Ham. His Argentina agent Walter Tamer is believed to favour a move to Juventus and warned: 'Liverpool have not made any offer at all to buy Javier and he is likely to go to Italy next season.'
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/liv...e_id=1779&ct=5
EXCLUSIVE by ASHLEY GRAY -
Liverpool have only a week to complete the signing of Javier Mascherano or risk losing him at the end of the season.
Mascherano has become a central figure in the battle behind the scenes between Rafa Benitez and the club's American owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett.
The Argentina midfielder is free to negotiate his future with other clubs from February 1 under the terms of his 'loan' arrangement.
The player, signed from West Ham almost a year ago, is 50 percent owned by businessman Kia Joorabchian's sports investment company MSI and has a £17million buy-out clause in his complicated Anfield contract, which expires at the end of the season.
Benitez desperately wants to keep the player, who has become a key performer in the holding role. Mascherano wants to stay at the club but at £17m he is not seen as an 'impact signing' by some members of the Liverpool board.
Mascherano, who is frustrated that the deal has not been completed, told Argentina's Radio La Red: 'I would love to stay here. I have tried and I've adapted to the city very well.'
Liverpool, struggling to find further investment to strengthen the team while talks about the refinancing deal for the new stadium have been going on, were still trying on Thursday to sell Momo Sissoko to Juventus to help fund the Mascherano deal.
'Javier wants to stay,' a friend confirmed from Argentina on Thursday night, 'but it is looking less likely every day. Liverpool must make up their minds and decide if they want him. Right now it looks as if he might go — and he is very reluctant to do that.
'He may not be considered as an impact signing by some, but the manager knows the qualities he brings to the team and every team needs his type of player in the modern game. Javier believes it is time for him to settle now. The rest is up to Liverpool.'
It has been noted that while Manchester United's owners did not delay in signing Michael Carrick and Owen Hargreaves to play the holding role, Liverpool's own American supremos have not moved as quickly to land Mascherano.
Liverpool may be running out of time but they still have first option on a player who has 35 Argentina caps at the age of 23.
The list of alternative clubs is growing with Barcelona, Manchester City, Juventus and Tottenham among those who have expressed an interest and are waiting for encouragement from Mascherano's aides.
The £17m fee was agreed under the terms of Mascherano's move from West Ham. His Argentina agent Walter Tamer is believed to favour a move to Juventus and warned: 'Liverpool have not made any offer at all to buy Javier and he is likely to go to Italy next season.'
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/liv...e_id=1779&ct=5
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