Source: Team_Talk
Cough up or forget about Masch - Roy
Roy Hodgson has told Barcelona to either make a proper bid for Liverpool midfielder Javier Mascherano or forget about signing him altogether.[LNB] The Catalans have reportedly made a £12million offer for the Argentina captain which may also include Alexander Hleb as a makeweight.[LNB]However, that falls way short of Liverpool's estimation of what the player, signed from West Ham for £18million three-and-a-half years ago, is worth.[LNB]Hodgson was forced to drop the 26-year-old for Monday night's 3-0 defeat at Manchester City after admitting the player had been affected by the interest from Spain.[LNB]But the 62-year-old insists Mascherano will not be allowed to leave for anything other than his full market value, which the Anfield club believe is nearer £24million.[LNB]"Unfortunately the fee the club thinks is the correct fee and the fee we are being offered are very far apart," said the Englishman.[LNB]"Unless that can be resolved he might be unhappy for a long time to come.[LNB]"But I have no wish to create headlines over the Mascherano situation.[LNB]"The discussions between Barcelona and the club are being held at high club level and as a result I don't really want to get involved in it.[LNB]"It is not the first time these things have happened and there are quite a lot of clubs suffering at the moment by their players being courted by others and their players being unhappy at being required to fulfil their contracts.[LNB]"It has happened to us now. Hopefully matters will get resolved, certainly before the end of the transfer window and I'll have a chance to pick him again, but last night would not have been a good time to select him.[LNB]"It will happen, I guess, a day when the offer for him matches our valuation, but until that day he stays with us."
