Liverpool boss tells Barcelona to increase Javier Mascherano bid
Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson has told Barcelona they must up their bid for Javier Mascherano if they are to secure his signing before the transfer window closes.
Hodgson left the defensive midfielder out of the squad as the Reds fell to a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Manchester City in the English Premier League (EPL). He said that he might not select the 26-year-old at all before the transfer window slams shut at the end of the month.
'Heads turned' by La Liga giants
The Anfield boss told BBC Sport that: "His head is being turned by Barcelona, who are making overtures to him. But until an offer matches our valuation he will stay with us."
He added that he left Mascherano out of the team as he was not of the right mindset to be completely dedicated to matters on the pitch: "The player still remains unhappy. He is not interested in the justice of the fee, he just wants to move. It makes it uncomfortable for us. It's something to be resolved but certainly Javier was not in the right frame of mind so it was better to play with Lucas and Steven Gerrard, who certainly were committed to the cause."
Reports yesterday claimed that Barca were offering around £12m plus Alexander Hleb and Martin Caceres. However, that proposal has not met Liverpool’s £25m valuation of Mascherano, who cost them £18m when he arrived on Merseyside in January 2007.
Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola said today that though he was hoping to sign a holding midfielder after losing Yaya Toure to Manchester City, he would not discuss the Mascherano situation until, and if, he joins the Catalan giants. Guardiola told reporters, "I will speak about him when he's here — if he comes."
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