Source: Telegraph
Liverpool offered Samuel Eto'o in return for Javier Mascherano
It is the second time in a week the unsettled Argentina midfielder has been linked with the European champions, following reports that Liverpool turned down a £20 million offer from the Nou Camp, adding that not even £50m would be enough.
According to the Mirror, however, Pep Guardiola is prepared to test the wrath of Benitez and has made a second bid which would allow for him to offload 28-year-old Eto'o, who failed to agree to a new deal with Barca.
In spite of Liverpool's protestations that Mascherano is going nowhere, the midfielder's agent Walter Tamer has said his client would welcome a move to Spain.
"If a club like Barcelona want you after winning everything, obviously a player will say he wants to play there," he said. "It would make Javier proud to play for them after they've had such an incredible year.
"I believe a transfer can be done. I've spoken to (Barcelona technical director) Txiki Beguiristain about this although we've not been in contact for some time."
Meanwhile, Liverpool are reported to have made a £6m offer for Real Madrid's Alvaro Negredo - a player the Spanish side brought back from Almeria last week in the hope of negotiating a player-plus-cash deal with the Merseysiders to secure Xabi Alonso.
Benitez has made it abundantly clear that he intends to hold on to Alonso so it is possible Real will now turn their attentions to Alvaro Arbeloa who carries a price tag of £8 million.
