Reds make Masch enquiry

Poolman SG

Reds make Masch enquiry ...

Liverpool could be ready to step up their interest in Javier Mascherano after contacting Fifa regarding his availability.

It is presumed Mascherano cannot leave West Ham during the January transfer window as he has already played for The Hammers and Corinthians over the past 12 months.

Fifa rules permit any player turning out for more than two clubs over a one-year period between 1st July and 30th June the following year.

However, Liverpool, who are believed to be heading the queue for the Argentine's services, have contacted Fifa with a view to ascertaining whether they might permit a third move.

The 22-year-old is currently out of the first-team picture at Upton Park and is reportedly keen to secure a move away from the East Londoners in search of first-team football.

"We have received correspondence from Liverpool and a case has now been opened," confirmed a Fifa spokesman.

Poolman SG

Good signing ?

Bad signing ?

the_unknown SG

Liverpool beat FIFA rules to clinch Mascherano deal
www.dailymail.co.uk

Liverpool have announced the signing of Javier Mascherano from West Ham in an 18-month loan deal that has bent football's rules.

Mascherano, who was deemed not good enough for West Ham's relegation battle by Alan Curbishley, will be thrust into Liverpool's Champions League campaign instead.

The signing is reward for Liverpool's patience.

not sure if it's a right choice or not...

798 SG

Mascherano should be a good player before he signed for west ham, now dat he is rotting away there, there will be a risk to sign a rusty player, somehow must apply for work permit.

Bontakun SG

I thought sign liao? 18 mth loan?

chihuahua SG

Yeah the deal's completed already it seems from dailymail's report, but there are also other reports which state the deal is far from done. Like the one on independent. Very Happy

Exclusive - FIFA helpless in Javier deal
EXCLUSIVE by COLIN WOOD
Last updated at 22:46pm on 29th January 2007

Putting his feet up: Mascherano has hardly played for West Ham

Liverpool have announced the signing of Javier Mascherano from West Ham in an 18-month loan deal that has bent football's rules.

Mascherano, who was deemed not good enough for West Ham's relegation battle by Alan Curbishley, will be thrust into Liverpool's Champions League campaign instead.

The signing is reward for Liverpool's patience.

They hoped to sign the Argentine midfield powerhouse, 22, at the start of the transfer window, but have had to wait while lawyers have thrashed out a deal with UEFA and FIFA, because players aren't supposed to move clubs twice in a season. Mascherano has already played for Corinthians, as well as West Ham.

The authorities finally agreed to cave in on the transfer and it will be announced tomorrow, on the final day of the transfer window.

Rafa Benitez last night saluted the signing. "We have an agreement to take him on loan for 18 months then we have an option to sign him permanently.

"He is a top class player and played at the top level at the World Cup. We were monitoring him when he was with River Plate. The only question is whether he can play to his level in England, but I know he can play a lot better than he did at West Ham.

"We don't have another holding midfielder and this is a crucial time for us. We will play against West Ham, Everton, Newcastle, Sheffield United and Barcelona twice."

Mascherano made only three Premiership starts with West Ham, and seven appearances altogether.

Benitez added: "Maybe Liverpool can be a better option for him because we can speak in Spanish to him and we play a different style of football that suits him better. Corinthians and River Plate are top sides in their countries and he is used to winning trophies. I think he will have more possibilities with us."

Benitez also explained why he expected to get his man. "There is a big difference between the law and the rules," he said. "A worker cannot be stopped working. That's the law in the European Community.

"Then there are the rules, which can change depending on your country or continent. There are players in the world now who have played for three or four clubs in a season.

"The rules are one thing, but the law is another. Nobody can stop people moving to other jobs. They have freedom and they need to work. The law is more important than the rules."

Liverpool are moving to secure the long-term future of a number of their top men because of a new regulation giving a player the right to buy out his contract when it entered the last two years.

Benitez confirmed that Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher would be offered new deals in the summer along with Spanish pair Xabi Alonso and Luis Garcia.

Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/sport/football.html?in_article_id=432371&in_page_id=1779&ito=1490

CoolMyth SG

Official website:

http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N154846070131-0944.htm

FIFA have given Javier Mascherano permission to play for Liverpool if he completes his move to Anfield, but the Reds are now waiting to hear whether the deal will be sanctioned by the Premier League.
The game's governing body has agreed to the move even though the player has already played for two clubs in the past twelve months.

A FIFA statement read: "After due consideration of all aspects, the Fifa single judge ruled that, 'Upon registration for Liverpool FC during the present registration period, the player Javier Mascherano is eligible to play in official matches with the said club with immediate effect'."

Despite FIFA giving their green light to the deal, Liverpool are still waiting to hear if the Premier League will allow it to progress.

A Liverpool spokesman said: "FIFA have confirmed the player is entitled to play for Liverpool.

"However, the move from West Ham still needs to be ratified by the Premier League and we await their decision."

Hope that if he comes, we'll see what he really can do.

Good horses need top-quality care. You can't expect them to win a Class 1 race with Class 3 care standard. Laughing

chihuahua SG

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=405782&cc=4716

Liverpool given FIFA nod to sign Mascherano

Liverpool have been given the go-ahead from FIFA to sign Argentina midfielder Javier Mascherano from West Ham.

Click here
The deal with Liverpool, thought to be a loan, was initially in doubt because Mascherano had already played for two clubs competitively this season - the Hammers and Brazilian club Corinthians.

The Argentinian has failed to make an impact at Upton Park, after joining the Londoners on the final day of the summer transfer window along with compatriot Carlos Tevez.

A statement from FIFA this morning read: 'After due consideration of all aspects, the FIFA single judge ruled that `upon registration for Liverpool FC during the present registration period, the player Javier Mascherano is eligible to play in official matches with the said club with immediate effect'.'

The ruling by FIFA appears to take into account the fact that the Brazilian and English seasons do not run parallel, with the Campeonato Brasileiro beginning in April and ending in December - thus cutting through the close season in this country.

The FIFA statement continued: 'Particular emphasis was given to the safeguard of the sporting integrity and the crucial element of overlapping sports seasons between associations, notably in cases in which a sports season starts prior and ends beyond July 1.

'Yet, the single judge made it clear that such permission can only be granted under very restrictive preconditions, such as they exist in the case at stake, yet never occurred in a case that was submitted to the attention of the competent deciding bodies at an earlier stage.

'In particular, he emphasised that a series of elements related, on the one hand, to the duration and the positioning of the relevant sports seasons as well as to the respect of the registration periods and, on the other hand, to the duration and respect of the employment contracts concerned, need to be cumulatively met.'

Mascherano, 22, first came to worldwide attention while playing for Argentinian club River Plate.

He was signed by Corinthians along with Tevez, after Media Sports Investment (MSI) bought a controlling stake in the Sao Paulo club.

Mascherano had an impressive World Cup with Argentina and arrived at West Ham in a shock double deal with Tevez at the end of August. It was thought at the time that their arrival was a prelude to businessman Kia Joorabchian - a key player in MSI which still held the registration for Tevez and Mascherano - taking over the Hammers.

However, Joorabchian lost out to an Icelandic consortium headed by Eggert Magnusson - and Mascherano struggled for playing time, starting just five games.

Very Happy