Barcelona agree fee for Javier Mascherano and Zlatan Ibrahimovic heading to Italy
Barcelona have agreed a fee with Liverpool to sign Javier Mascherano.
Barcelona had a bid of around £16million rejected this week, with Liverpool wanting £25million for the 26-year old.
Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson had given Barcelona until Sunday to increase their bid, and it is now understood a fee close to £25million has been reached.
A statement from Liverpool said: “Liverpool Football Club have agreed terms for the transfer of Javier Mascherano to FC Barcelona. The Spanish club have now been given permission to speak to the Argentina midfielder.”
Mascherano told Hodgson he didn’t want to play for the club anymore, stating he wanted to move for personal reasons. Barcelona reported earlier this week Mascherano was going to sign a four-year deal £85,000-a-week, with a statement saying: “FC Barcelona and Liverpool FC have reached an agreement in principle for the transfer of Javier Mascherano to the club for the next four seasons.”
Meanwhile, Barcelona striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic is heading to AC Milan according to reports from the Spanish press. AC Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani said: “Barça are willing to sell or loan the player, he is willing to come to Milan but we are talking about a mountain of money in the middle of a crisis.”
In other transfer news, both Liverpool and Newcastle are in the hunt for Hatem Ben Arfa, and both will find out soon who the 23-year old will sign for soon after going on strike at Marseille.
Tottenham Hotspur are considering bringing in Klaas-Jan Huntelaar from AC Milan on loan for the season, with the option of buying him for around £12 million at the end of the spell. Meanwhile, Tottenham striker Robbie Keane could go on loan to West Ham or Newcastle during this transfer window.
Fulham manager Mark Hughes wants to bring Shay Given and Roque Santa Cruz from his former club Manchester City, while Ajax goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg will not leave the club and go to Arsenal, as Ajax are now in the Champions League.
Arsenal are in the hunt for a new ‘keeper and will not give up on Mark Schwarzer, despite having two bids rejected by Fulham already this summer. Arsenal have also inquired for Lille ‘keeper Mickaël Landreau.
West Ham manager Avram Grant is set to make a move for Guy Demel of Hamburg, and Stoke and Portsmouth are set to agree a deal that would see Liam Lawrence and Dave Kitson go to Portsmouth with Marc Wilson heading in the other direction.
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