Roy Hodgson looking forward to meeting Torres, Javier Mascherano set to leave
The football transfer window is open and while some managers are fighting tooth and nail to lure their preferred targets to their clubs there are some who are trying to hold on to their prized assets. The Cesc saga has been going on for months now and so has the Torres story. But one story that has also been going on for the same period of time but has somewhat been overshadowed by others is, Javier Mascherano’s departure from Liverpool.
The Argentinean skipper has been closely linked with Inter Milan and is very keen to join his former Manager Rafael Benitez at the Guesseppe Meazza.
Last night in a press conference the new Liverpool manager, Roy Hodgson, confirmed that Javier wants out of Anfield but at the same time assured the fans that Torres wants to stay at the club.
In recent weeks following the departure of Benitez there has been unrest at the Kop as several of their players have been linked with a move away from the club. But since the appointment of Roy Hodgson things have somewhat calmed down and now the order seems to be restored.
Hodgson just joined the Anfield club a couple of weeks ago and has made an immediate impact with his no nonsense transfer policy. He sold Yossi Benayoun to Chelsea and brought in Joe Cole and Milan Jovanovic. He also let go of Albert Riera and is now bracing for a life without his midfield anchorman Javier Mascherano.
It was Rafa who brought Mascherano to Anfield in 2007 from hammer but left for Inter in June.
News of Javier wanting to leave the club will not be a big surprise to anyone as Javier has been unhappy with the club for a long period of time and the untimely departure of Rafa did not help things at all.
In a press conference on Tuesday, Hodgson made it clear that although there has been speculation in the media about Javier but so far he has not received any bids for the former West Ham man.
Hodgson said that he had talked to the player and Javier told him that he wants to leave the club.
Hodgson said "Yes he wants to leave the club. He's made that perfectly clear, I think he wanted to leave a year ago”.
But Hodgson feels that as Masch is still under contract with the club he will continue to treat him as a Liverpool player until a day arrives when he no longer is a Liverpool player but as long as he is bound by a signed contract Hodgson said he will treat him as any other member of the squad.
Hodgson further said that if a player is unhappy at the club it doesn’t necessarily mean that he will leave the club. Letting a player go is entirely at the Club’s peril and if Liverpool refuse to sell the Argentine skipper to Inter then the situation will get very messy but in football it hardly is the case as no club wants to retain a player who wants to leave.
However there were also some positives coming out of the press, as the new Liverpool boss confirmed that he had held talks with Torres and he was assured by the player that he is still committed to the club and wants to stay at Anfield.
Torres is currently on holiday in the South of France but is due to return to training soon.
Hodgson said that he is very happy after his meeting with Torres and is looking forward to welcoming the Spaniard at Anfield.
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