Barcelona must pay Liverpool £45m for unsettled Mascherano

18 June 2009 08:40
Liverpool midfielder Javier Mascherano has again been linked with a move to Barcelona after reports his agent had arrived there yesterday for talks. Club sources refused to confirm any meeting but Spanish radio claimed Mascherano's agent Walter Tamer was in the city to discuss a transfer for the Argentina captain. Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has already declared Mascherano is not for sale and wants talks with the player and Tamer. But, as Sportsmail revealed, Mascherano is unsettled as his wife is back in Argentina and is reluctant to return to Merseyside. Barcelona would have to bid around £45million to even tempt Liverpool or strike a deal that would include a similar player such as Yaya Toure. Tamer reportedly met Barcelona technical secretary Txiki Begiristain and director of football Raul Sanllehy for a two-hour sojourn at the Rey Juan Carlos I Hotel in Barcelona yesterday. Liverpool, meanwhile, hope to conclude the £17m purchase of Glen Johnson from Portsmouth within the next 48 hours.

Source: Daily_Mail