EPL News: Roy Hodgson plans to end Mascherano conflict by Sunday - Part 1
The Liverpool manger Roy Hodgson has announced that he will have a final answer about Javier Mascherano’s transfer to Barcelona by this Sunday.
He told media that he had given the men at Camp Nou a deadline and he expected that they will comply and bring changes in the offer they had presented earlier. In his most recent broadcasts the Englishman has announced that the fate of Liverpool will be decided on Sunday.
The Argentinean Mascherano has been trying all summers to weave burrow a way out of Anfield but he has been failing to do so despite attracting interest from top notch clubs.
Before even the 2009-10 season had ended rumours were rife that the 26 year old defensive midfielder was going to make a move out off the Merseyside. That became evident when he asked his former boss from Liverpool Rafael Benitez to make a bid for him from his current club, Inter Milan.
Rafael Benitez had been canned from Liverpool and he had taken up the offer from the Champions League winners, Inter Milan, from where the legendary Portuguese, Jose Mourinho, had mad a switch to Real Madrid.
Mascherano had asked the San Siro board to place a bid for him and he confirmed that the reason for that was he was on excellent terms with Benitez and wanted to play for him. He also stated that he wanted a change of environment and the Italian club seemed a pretty good option. Later he admitted that Inter Milan was a club with a more consistent performance in major tournaments and that was why he really wanted to make the transfer.
Bad news came from San Siro for him after he produced a stunning performance in the FIFA 2010 World Cup and that was the falling point of negotiations between Nerazzuri and Reds.
After that many other clubs presented the Scouse with unofficial bids. Clubs like Real Madrid, Juventus, Chelsea and a couple of other Spanish clubs intended on having him play for them but none of the matters were resolved.
Suddenly out of the blues a bid from Camp Nou came for him; The Catalans presented the Merseyside with a bid of 12 million pounds but they refused. Mascherano revealed that he had asked Barca to make a bid for him as his services were available for them and they were looking for a midfielder after the departure of Yaya Toure to Manchester City.
So far the Merseyside and Catalonia are failing to agree upon the terms of the deal. Barca has offered 18 million pounds for the world class midfielder and the former Arsenal defender Alexandar Hleb also in exchange. Liverpool has denied the offer and asked for 24.5 million pounds in cash without Hleb.
Now everybody is waiting for Sunday to arrive. Hodgson has announced that he has informed Mascherano if the deal presented for him is not good enough then he will be staying with Liverpool; though it is not clear whether or not the star will be sent off on loan after his most recent actions.
Just before hours in the starting of the encounter between Liverpool and Manchester City Mascherano refused to play in the match and the Reds ended up losing the match 3-0, clearly because of his absence. The officials have now confirmed that the season opener with Arsenal was his last match with the club and he will not be playing for Liverpool anymore.
Hodgson has clarified that he will not be threatened into a last minute sale by the Catalans as Mascherano is rightfully their player and if he is going away from the club he has full right to take advantage of it.
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