Roy Hodgson wants Mascherano to stay
Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson has said that there still may be future for Mascherano at Liverpool. He said that the new signing of Christian Poulsen does not mean that the Argentine is being replaced. He said that if Javier decides to stay he will have plenty of chances and a good place in the squad. Javier Mascherano, back in July, said that he wants to leave Liverpool, while Barcelona and Inter Milan were believed to be his likely destinations.
Liverpool’s latest signing Poulsen has been brought in from Italian club, Juventus. Hodgson said that till now no official approach has been made by any club for the services of Mascherano. He said that he does not want the midfielder to leave, and the signing of Poulsen does not mean that he is being replaced at the club. Hodgson added that he still has strong belief that Javier can play an important part in Liverpool’s new season, and Poulsen’s signing was just part of his plans to improve the strength of the side.
It is believed that Rafael Benitez, the manager of Inter Milan, is still interested in signing his former player, but the club is waiting for the Balotelli deal to be completed so that they have enough funds to buy Mascherano.
Roy Hodgson said that the upcoming season is going to be a tough test for Liverpool, and he will need as much depth in the squad as he can. He added that Mascherano has been with the club long enough to understand the culture and the requirements of the club. He went on to say that it is always good to have a player who knows what to do to make the new players settle into the system. He said that with the Reds being active in Premier League and in Europa cup he will need Mascherano and Poulsen both in midfield to have quality throughout the season.
Mascherano, after coming back from the World Cup, met the new Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson and expressed his desire to leave the club. Earlier Mascherano said that he has no problems with the club, and loves the fans and the management. He added that he is just looking for a new challenge and a new league to kick start his career that he believes has come to a halt.
The Argentinean midfielder has played 138 matches for Liverpool in his 3 years stay at the club. He still has 2 more years left on his contract. Liverpool is believed to have estimated his price to be around 24 million pounds. He made his way into English football in a shock move from Argentina to West Ham United along with his compatriot Carlos Tevez. As soon as the duo arrived in England it was believed that both will be snapped up by one of the big 4 in the league after the first season. That is exactly what happened, as Javier Mascherano made his way to Liverpool and Tevez was signed by Manchester United on loan.
Roy Hodgson, the new Liverpool manager, reiterated that he has big plans for the club in the new season and does see Mascherano playing an important role for the club. He said that players like Steven Gerrard and Mascherano make the perfect midfield duo. Roy added that Gerrard is an attacking midfielder while Javier has the ability to sit back and dictate play. The manager went on to say that there is still time left in the transfer window, and if he decides to leave before that he will not be stopped and if he stays he will be welcomed by team and the fans alike.
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