RAFAEL BENITEZ has said he has no concerns over Javier Mascherano’s commitment to Liverpool, despite refusing the Argentina captain a move to the European champions Barcelona.
Mascherano and his agent, Walter Tamer, embarked on a public charm offensive with Barcelona this summer amid claims the midfielder’s wife, who recently gave birth to the couple’s second child in Argentina, had failed to settle in England and that he topped Pep Guardiola’s wish-list for the holding role at Camp Nou.
The 25-year-old’s prospects of following Xabi Alonso to Spain were always remote, however, with Benitez more resistant to losing Mascherano than his midfield colleague.
The Argentinian’s immediate future with Liverpool was effectively sealed last week when Real Madrid met the €35 million asking price placed on Alonso by Benitez, who had refused to countenance the prospect of selling both first-choice central midfielders from last season. Benitez acknowledges Mascherano’s head was turned by interest from the Champions League winners but believes that, with his situation and his increased responsibility at Anfield made clear, the player will be dedicated to Liverpool’s attempt to win the Premier League title.
“I am confident he is 100 per cent focused. The last week has changed a lot,” Benitez said. “He is more focused now. He realises that he is a very, very important player for us. He knows he is a key player. He knows he has to be an example and he is ready. You could see against Atletico how he played much better.”
Mascherano’s frustrations, Liverpool suspect, stemmed from financial reasons as well as personal.
Benitez made it a priority to secure the spine of his team – including Fernando Torres, Steven Gerrard and Daniel Agger – on improved long-term contracts in recent months but the Argentina captain had not been offered an increase on the €70,000-a-week, four-year deal he signed when completing a permanent €21.7 million move to Anfield in February 2008. That may change during this season, as Liverpool seek to avoid a repeat saga next summer.
Patrick Vieira continues to wait for the call from Arsene Wenger that could herald his return to Arsenal, but the club’s former captain believes he could yet fulfil his short-term ambitions at Internazionale, having appeared surplus to the requirements of Jose Mourinho before the club’s pre-season preparations.
The France midfielder is desperate to play for his country at the World Cup finals in South Africa next summer, having been born on the African continent in Senegal, and he knows that he needs matches at club level in the build-up, something that he struggled for last season. After a frustrating time with injuries he made only 10 Serie A starts and Mourinho, the coach, appeared ready to move him on. But Vieira has enjoyed the recent rarity of a full pre-season and he took his inclusion in the Inter squad for the Italian Super Cup against Lazio last Saturday in Beijing as a sign that Mourinho had welcomed him back to the fold. Vieira appeared as a substitute in Inter’s 2-1 defeat.
Cesc Fabregas, the Arsenal captain, has heard Barcelona express their admiration for him yet again, with the club’s sporting director, Txiki Begiristain, saying it was “possible” for them to make a bid for him. “It depends how much we want to spend,” he said. “If we spend a lot of money, it is possible. We have not asked Arsenal. If the amount is too high, we will not try.”
One Arsenal player who may move to Spain, albeit temporarily, is Fran Merida. Wenger is keen to loan the 19-year-old midfielder out and Levante are interested.
GuardianService
