Barcelona to bid for Liverpool's Javier Mascherano

The Champions League holders are keen on the combative Argentine, who they believe would be the perfect foil for Xavi and Andres Iniesta in the Barcelona midfield. The Mirror says Barcelona will offer Mascherano wages of £80,000 a week, and the player's agent has previously claimed he would be interested in a move to the Nou Camp. However, losing Mascherano would be a significant setback to Liverpool, who are also fighting to stop Xabi Alonso from joining Real Madrid. In Mascherano, Alonso and Steven Gerrard, Liverpool arguably have the best midfield trio in the Premier League. But the financial situation at Anfield remains uncertain, and it appears new improved contracts could be required to convince Alonso and Mascherano to remain at the club. Gerrard and Fernando Torres have recently signed new long-term contracts. And Torres believes the chance to play under Benitez is a rare opportunity. "Rafa concentrates on the professional side of things," said Torres. "He tries to improve every minor detail and movement you carry out during the course of a game and he also explains the reasons behind his decisions. "He's obsessed that you understand what you are doing and why. He's not happy that you do things just because he tells you that something has to be done. He says: 'Do it like this. Do you understand why you are being told to do so? No? We'll go through it again then'. "I remember when I signed for the club people were questioning me as a goalscorer. I received criticism because I wasn't getting goals. The first thing he told me was that I was signed to score goals. Benítez is adamant that I live in the [penalty] area because that's where you get goals. That was the first thing he told me, the wing is for the wingers, and that the striker should be focused on the two rival centre-backs."

Source: Telegraph