Rafa: Mascherano deal close
29 Jan 2008 - 15:42:36
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez claims a deal to keep Javier Mascherano at Anfield is close to being completed.
The Argentina international midfielder is edging towards the end of his initial 18-month loan contract on Merseyside with reports suggesting a host of clubs in Italy and Spain were preparing to launch bids.
However, Benitez is hopeful a permanent deal to sign the former West Ham United and Corinthians star can be thrashed out in the coming days.
The Spaniard is particularly keen to tie Mascherano down to a permanent contract after allowing fellow midfielder Momo Sissoko to join Juventus.
"It is progressing. (chief executive) Rick Parry has been working on this and Momo Sissoko," he told the club's official website.
"We are working hard on Mascherano and maybe we can say something positive in a few days.
"Really, we don't need to do anything because the player is already with us, it's just got to be finished. If we can finish it now, that would be perfect.
"He is here already and if we don't do anything he can still play for us. But he wants to stay."