Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has ruled out selling Javier
Mascherano after the Argentina international's agent was quoted as
saying the midfielder was keen to join Barcelona.
It has been reported than Mascherano's agent, Walter Tamer, has
held talks with Barca technical director Txiki Beguiristain, and
was quoted in The Sun saying: ''It would make Javier very
proud that a club like Barcelona pay him attention after such an
incredible year. I believe a transfer would be feasible.''
However, Benitez has dismissed the idea and insisted Mascherano
is happy at Anfield and not for sale.
''Mascherano has no price,'' the Spaniard told the club's
website. ''Barcelona could not afford to match his value to
Liverpool Football Club. We do not want to sell and Javier is very
happy here.
''I have spoken to Javier two or three times this summer - the
last time was only last week - and he was very happy, very
positive. He gave me the private number of his agent, Walter Tamer,
and again the conversation was very positive and was all about
football.
''Walter told me that two clubs with big, big names were asking
after Mascherano - and I told him to forget it, that Javier was
happy in Liverpool and he was not for sale.
''So I was surprised to see the agent's comments today. He has a
long contract and any club can forget about bidding for him. They
can offer £40m or even £50m, we don't want to sell.''
Benitez has already admitted that this summer is unlikely to see
any high profile acquisitions as the club's owners do not have the
finance necessary to fund serious transfer spending.
The Liverpool boss had wanted to augment his squad with players
like Gareth Barry, David Villa and Carlos Tevez, but such are the
limitations on Benitez that more realistic targets are thought to
be Middlesbrough forward Tuncay or Portsmouth defender Sylvain
Distin.
Last week it was revealed that Kop Football Holdings, the
company though which co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett control
the club, suffered a loss of £42.6m last year and must refinance
£350m of debt before July 24.
However, Benitez remains upbeat and insists he knew that the
summer would be a relatively quiet time when he signed his new
five-year contract in March.