| QUOTE (Dr. Gaius Baltar @ May 1 2009, 01:59 PM) |
| I wonder where he would go. If he goes to Madrid, they'll have to let Diarra go. So basically it's Italy or stay where he is. And quite frankly, Italy sucks. |
| QUOTE (Dr. Gaius Baltar @ May 1 2009, 02:05 PM) |
| To be honest, i didnt even click the link. |
| QUOTE (Babel is Boss @ May 1 2009, 06:31 PM) |
| What he's said is true, if a big team came in for him with "an offer he coldn't refuse" then he's going to think about it. 9/10 players would. When he spoke to Benitez about it he said that he can't stop players from talking to him and his agent. The more important thing is that he says he's happy here and loves the club and the city and the rest.... then headline is crap as well Jens :good: And Cripps he'd walk into your team quite easily. |
| QUOTE |
| JAVIER MASCHERANO'S agent has infuriated Rafa Benitez by saying the Liverpool star wants a move to Barcelona. Kop boss Benitez is adamant the midfielder is going nowhere and is angry with his representative Walter Tamer. Tamer said: "If a club like Barcelona wants to strengthen after having won everything in a brilliant season, obviously the player is going to say yes, we want to play there. "It would make Javier very proud that a club like Barcelona pay him attention after such an incredible year. "I believe a transfer would be feasible." Despite the claims, Tamer admits has he not held talks with Barca recently. He added: "I've spoken to Barca sporting director Txiki Begiristain but we have not been in touch for some time." Meanwhile, Mascherano seems focused on going one better than the second place the Reds achieved this season. The midfielder, 24, said: "This season we went to Stamford Bridge, the Bernabeu and Old Trafford and won. This is very positive for the future. "This team is now showing we can win anywhere but we need to get the balance right for next season." |
| QUOTE (Dr. Gaius Baltar @ Jun 9 2009, 05:55 PM) |
| Him at Barcelona would be awesome. He should go to Madrid and help them out instead. Alonso and Mascherano, with Kaka and Ronaldo, that would be good. |
| QUOTE |
| RAFA BENITEZ insists he would not sell Javier Mascherano — even for £50million! The Liverpool boss issued a strong hands off warning today after reports linking the Argentinian midfielder with Barcelona. Benitez is adamant Mascherano is not for sale at any price and insisted the 25-year-old is happy to stay at Anfield. He said: "Mascherano has no price. "Barcelona could not afford to match his value to Liverpool Football Club. "We do not want to sell and Javier is very happy here." Benetiz paid £18.6m to bring the midfielder to Anfield from West Ham in February 2007. And he added: "I have spoken to Javier two or three times this summer — the last time was only last week — and he was very happy, very positive. "He gave me the private number of his agent, Walter Tamer, and again the conversation was very positive and was all about football. "Walter told me that two clubs with big, big names were asking after Mascherano. "I told him to forget it — that Javier was happy in Liverpool and he was not for sale. So I was surprised to see the agent's comments. "He has a long contract and any club can forget about bidding for him. They can offer £40m or even £50m, we don't want to sell." |
| QUOTE (Ach @ Jun 10 2009, 01:50 PM) |
| RAFA BENITEZ insists he would not sell Javier Mascherano — even for £50million! |
| QUOTE (Xaviola @ Jun 10 2009, 05:12 PM) | ||
Watch Man City bid £60m now... |
| QUOTE |
| LEO MESSI has risked the wrath of Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez by openly inviting close pal Javier Mascherano to Barcelona. SunSport broke the news that the Catalans had contacted Mascherano's agent to try and lure him from Anfield for £20million. The Kop idol's agent confirmed our story and now Argentina star Messi is leading the campaign to get the midfield anchor man to the Nou Camp. Messi said: "It will be beautiful if Barcelona signed Javier, as a player and as a friend. "Not only to have him on the pitch but also off it as well. He's a great player and would be a great signing." Benitez has been desperate to quash talk about Mascherano's future after his agent admitted he had met Barca technical director Txiki Beguiristain. Barca boss Pep Guardiola rates Mascherano highly and the star is rumoured to be pining for a move to a Spanish-speaking country. Messi also spoke about Cristiano Ronaldo's £80m world-record move from Manchester United to Real Madrid. He hailed the arrivals of Ronaldo and £56m Kaka to Real. He said: "With them La Liga will be stronger. It will be a beautiful year." |
| QUOTE (Dr. Gaius Baltar @ Jun 17 2009, 04:55 AM) |
| Also, those Madrid Barca games are gonna be awesome, i cant wait. |
| QUOTE |
| LIVERPOOL’S hopes of keeping Javier Mascherano took a blow last night as it emerged his agent had held talks with Barcelona. Walter Tamer met Barca technical director Txiki Beguiristain at the city’s Juan Carlos Hotel yesterday. Now the deal SunSport revealed on June 6 is a step closer, with Barca manager Pep Guardiola willing to pay £20million. Full-back Alvaro Arbeloa could also be on his way to Spain as Real Madrid are closing in on an £8m deal. That move was also first revealed in SunSport and the player himself has admitted he will return to La Liga one day. Losing Arbeloa, 26, would not be a disaster for Kop boss Rafa Benitez as he has already signed Glen Johnson from Ports-mouth for £18m. But he has always insisted that tough guy Mascherano, 25, is not for sale as the Argentine ace has cemented a reputation as one of the best holding midfielders in the country. Yet if Benitez wants to have any chance of landing other top targets like in-demand Valencia striker David Silva, it looks increasingly likely he will have to be prepared to pay the price. |
| QUOTE (Jens' Face @ Jun 18 2009, 02:48 AM) | ||
:goodpost: the amount of talent they have is staggering the la liga trophy is gonna come down to which one of them Alex Song supports |
| QUOTE |
| Liverpool coach Mauricio Pellegrino has failed to rule out the possibility of Javier Mascherano leaving Anfield. The Argentina midfielder is said to be a target of Barcelona and it is claimed his agent, Walter Tamer, met with officials of the Spanish club on Wednesday. Reds manager Rafa Benitez is adamant that Mascherano will not depart the side as he sees the 25-year-old as a vital component of his squad. However, Pellegrino concedes 'anything is possible' in football, as Barca and also Real Madrid continue to be linked with an offer for Mascherano's services. "Every time negotiations are underway, money always makes the decision," Pellegrino told sport.es. "Anyway, Mascherano is such an important player for us, like other ones can be for Barca. "I do not want to say anything about it because we already know that in football's world, nothing is impossible." |
| QUOTE |
| LIVERPOOL will have to more than double Javier Mascherano's wages to keep him at Anfield. The Argentine midfielder is on Barcelona's wanted list but the Catalans are refusing to pay the astonishing £45million fee Rafa Benitez is demanding. Barca's big rivals Real Madrid are also keen with sporting director Jorge Valdano a big admirer of his fellow countryman. Mascherano, 25, earns around £30,000 a week and has three years on his Anfield contract so manager Benitez is under no pressure to cash in now. His position has also been strengthened by the fact Liverpool's owners claim they have agreed an extension to their £350m refinancing loan. However, Benitez is aware he will have to bring the player's wages into line with the rest of Liverpool's big earners. Despite being one of the world's top holding midfielders, Mascherano is also one of the poorest paid first-team regulars. Meanwhile, the Reds have appointed financier Christian Purslow, 45, as managing director in the wake of chief executive Rick Parry's departure |
| QUOTE |
| Liverpool's tenacious midfielder Javier Mascherano has admitted he is flattered to be linked with the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid. The Argentine international has been tipped to join the Camp Nou outfit this summer while his representative, Walter Tamer, is understood to have jetted to Catalunya to hold talks last week. Manager Rafa Benitez is desperate to retain the midfielder who has become an integral part of his plans after signing a five-year contract back in 2007. Mascherano has now dropped his biggest hint yet that he wants to swap the Premier League for La Liga after confirming he is flattered by the duo's reported interest. "I am very proud and thankful for the interest from Barcelona and Real Madrid. It's good for me to have these two teams interested in me," he told Don Balon. "Both teams are very important but at this moment I think that Barcelona is a little bit better and that's why they've won all that they have." Meanwhile, Mascherano has expressed his happiness at being a regular in Diego Maradona's Argentina squad: "I'm very proud that Maradona has me in mind. "The best player in the world ever says many good things about me and that makes me very proud." |
| QUOTE |
| Lionel Messi has again urged Liverpool midfielder Javier Mascherano to consider a move to Barcelona. The Argentine forward admits he would relish the opportunity to play alongside his fellow countryman at club level. Following speculation he could leave Anfield this summer, Mascherano has been highly touted for a move to Camp Nou. Admitting to being flattered by reported interest from the Spanish champions, as well as Real Madrid, the 25-year-old has dropped his biggest hint yet that he may switch to La Liga. Encouraging his compatriot to consider a move to Barca, Messi admits a possible deal is exciting for him and the club. "Of course I would like him to join," he told El Mundo Deportivo. "Who would not want to play with great players like Javier? I hope he can come here." Messi admitted that his main target next term is to add to Barca's flourishing trophy cabinet. He also spoke of his international ambition, saying: "There are two things I would wish for and the first is that Barcelona can win more trophies, the second is for Argentina to win the World Cup next year. "We (Barca) can dream about another treble, but it will be extremely difficult." Asked his opinion on Cristiano Ronaldo's impending £80million move to Real Madrid, he said: "If there is a club that sells and a club willing to buy then that is that. "I am not going to enter into the rights and wrongs because that is not my place, I just play. "It does seem like a big fee, but as I have said it is not really my place." |
| QUOTE |
| BARCELONA are set to launch a £25m raid for Liverpool midfielder Javier Mascherano. The Spanish champions will bid to secure the services of the Argentina captain in the next few days, according to reports in Spain. Mascherano has been a big hit on Merseyside since signing for the club in an £18.6million deal two seasons ago and his performances have impressed Barca boss Pep Guardiola. With fierce rivals Real Madrid still keen on bringing Mascherano's Reds' teammate Xabi Alonso back to Spain, Barcelona must move quickly to sign the ex-West Ham star. Liverpool will refuse to sell two of their key central midfielders in the same summer, so if Mascherano does move to the Nou Camp, it would rule out any possibility of Alonso joining Madrid. |