TRANSFER NEWS:JAVIER MASCHERANO has begun agitating for a move from Liverpool for a second successive summer, with his agent describing the prospect of a reunion with Rafael Benitez at Internazionale as "a dream".
The Argentina captain has been disillusioned at Anfield for some time, having been denied a transfer to Barcelona 12 months ago and with his family having struggled to settle in England.
An offer to extend his contract beyond 2012 was agreed in principle towards the end of last season, only for Mascherano to leave the agreement unsigned as he awaited developments on Benitez and Liverpool’s financial situation.
Benitez’s new club, the reigning European champions Inter, are keen on the 26-year-old midfielder, but, as with Steven Gerrard and Real Madrid or Fernando Torres and Chelsea, Liverpool have yet to receive an offer.
Mascherano’s agent, however, has made it clear Inter would have no trouble enticing his client to Italy should they agree a fee.
“If it was up to Mascherano, the negotiations (with Inter) would be easy,” said Walter Tamer.
“But he has a contract with Liverpool and first the two clubs would have to find an agreement before we step in.”
Liverpool’s new manager, Roy Hodgson, made it a priority to outline his visions for the club to Gerrard and vice-captain Jamie Carragher, but has been unable to meet Torres, due to Spain’s World Cup success, or Mascherano, who is on holiday in America.
Tamer said: “Mascherano has not spoken to Hodgson nor with Liverpool. After the World Cup he has switched off, but it’s clear that he is happy to be a target of top clubs in the transfer market.
“Last season it was the European champions, Barcelona, that wanted him and this year it’s Inter, the current Champions League winners. For him to be linked to Inter has a magical taste . . . it’s a dream.
“Think about it: the strongest team in the world wants him, a team where many of Mascherano’s compatriots play and a side that is guided by a coach with whom Mascherano has a personal bond.”
Benitez priced Mascherano out of a move to Barcelona due to a reluctance to lose both the Argentinian and his then central midfield partner Xabi Alonso. But Tamer believes the €60 million asking price demanded last summer is no longer relevant.
“Last year Benitez turned down a lot of money offered by Barcelona for the player but this is a different market.”
As well as a meeting between Hodgson and Torres, Liverpool are still waiting for confirmation of the extent of the groin injury the striker sustained in the closing stages of Sunday’s World Cup final. Torres is expected to undergo a scan today, but Liverpool, whose first-team squad begin a pre-season training camp in Switzerland, are hopeful the injury is not as serious as initially feared.
Dr Peter Brukner, the club’s new head of medicine, said: “We’ve been in touch with the Spanish medical team and they don’t think it’s too serious. It’s an adductor muscle injury but they’ve not had a chance to assess it today.”
Reports in Belgium have linked Standard Liege captain Steven Defour with a move to Anfield.
Former Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso has branded Nigel de Jong’s World Cup final kung-fu kick as one of the worst tackles he has ever been on the wrong end of.
Even De Jong accepts he was fortunate not to be sent off by referee Howard Webb after catching Alonso with an awful first-half tackle. The Netherlands midfielder planted his studs into the Real Madrid man’s chest and left him needing treatment before he was able to continue.
Alonso was still in pain long after the final whistle and fears he may have broken a rib.
“It was one of the worst tackles I have ever suffered,” he said.
“It was a tight game, there was respect from both sides and they had to close us down. But that challenge was really hard. It was one of the most painful tackles in my life and it was hard to play on.”
