Monster Masch to Man Citeh?

[all_funkt_up]

I heard on the news this morning that Manchester City are considering a bid for Mascherano who is a free agent in the summer. Benitez has been trying to tie up this deal for some time now and his outburst the other week was in part caused by the board's failure to tie up some important deals, Mascherano included.

His contract expires in the summer and players can discuss terms 6 months ahead of that expiry. So in January, Mascherano can talk to clubs about a free transfer come July.

Now whether this story has been engineered by his management as a bargaining tool designed to speed up Liverpool's offer or whether its a genuine story - who knows. Were Mascherano to leave (and I estimate it to be a 50/50 chance) I think he would have bigger clubs in his sights.

All due respect to City but this boy's immense and would probably be looking at the very top tier of European clubs - Real, Barca, Juve etc.

City preparing £17m move for Mascherano as Liverpool stall
By Jason Burt
Published: 05 December 2007
Manchester City are attempting to take advantage of the continuing uncertainty at Liverpool by lining up a surprise £17m bid for Javier Mascherano. City are expected to be the Premier League's big spenders in what could be an otherwise quiet January with owner Thaksin Shinawatra having already pledging substantial funds as the club pushes for European football. They want to recruit one leading striker, and possibly two, as well as a holding midfielder while discussions have been held about a new goalkeeper.

The favourite for the striking role remains Afonso Alves, the free-scoring Brazilian who plays for the Dutch club Heerenveen, with Peter Crouch and Nicolas Anelka having also been discussed by Shinawatra, his advisers and manager Sven Goran Eriksson. Much of City's transfer strategy is being led by the agent Pini Zahavi and he is believed to be keen to push through a deal involving Mascherano. It is thought that a meeting with City may have already taken place.

A new name on City's list is the Newcastle United striker Obafemi Martins who is understood to be unhappy at St James' Park and has a £13m release clause, although negotiations have taken place to remove that from his contract.

The future of Mascherano has been one of the points of conflict between Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez and the club's owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett. Benitez has urged the Americans to quickly provide the funds to sign the 23-year-old Argentine, who is only effectively on an 18-month loan, on a permanent transfer.

Mascherano, whose personal terms do not provide a stumbling block, and his advisers want to tie up a deal as quickly as possible with Liverpool also risking the midfielder signing a pre-contract agreement elsewhere if they do not offer him permanent terms by next month. It's thought that he would prefer to stay at Liverpool.

Mascherano is already one of the players at Anfield most valued by Benitez, and has a clause in his contract setting a fee of £17m if he leaves the club – which would cause further strain with the owners. Benitez is believed to have already made clear he would rather sell John Arne Riise, who has only 18 months left on his contract, or Momo Sissoko who attracted interest from Italy last summer.

Mascherano is also believed to be wanted in Italy although he is thought to be more likely to move to Spain, and Barcelona, should he leave this country. Liverpool would not receive a fee for Mascherano who is, it is believed, still effectively owned by the sports media company MSI.

If City fail in a bid for Mascherano they are likely to turn their attention to Marcelo Mattos who, at around £3m, would provide a cut-price alternative. The 23-year-old Brazilian is also a holding midfielder and only joined the Greek club Panathinaikos earlier this year, from Corinthians. Mattos has been in impressive form and Portsmouth are also believed to be interested. Although not an international Mattos would be able to move to England because he has an Italian passport. Despite the impressive form of Dietmar Hamann, he is 34 and City have identified a new holding midfielder as a priority.

City spent heavily last summer, with almost £40m worth of players arriving in a whirlwind spree following Shinawatra's takeover and the appointment of Eriksson. The Swede is believed to have petitioned the owner last month urging him to spend more cash and claiming that beyond his first XI he lacks the strength and depth to sustain a challenge this campaign.

City's impressive performances have helped his cause – as have the resounding success of a number of his signings, particularly Elano and Martin Petrov.

City are also expected to receive further good news soon with the likelihood that Micah Richards will finally sign a new contract before the end of this month. The 19-year-old has stalled partly because he is in the process of changing his advisers but has assured City that he has no intention of not signing. A host of leading clubs are monitoring the situation and it is likely that, despite the new contract, City will face a battle to hold on to him next summer.

[christianu]

Is he that good? I've not seen him play much, what makes him so good?

[all_funkt_up]

He's a little grafter. A true box to box player. He does all the dirty work so that Gerrard can get on with going forward and doesnt have to worry so much about defending. His tackling is ferocious, he gets stuck in and is probably the fittest of all Liverpool's squad. Javier has definitely earned the respect of all the fans and I think the players too. They recognise the fact that he never gives up, kicks and is kicked with no complaints and basically works his arse off for us.

But, he's not just an ugly player who goes around fouling the opposition. He's actually really talented too. His control is great, his awareness and passing is top notch as well - basically he's what England are crying out for. Hargreaves, Carrick, Butt, Ince, Wise and other so called hard men of English football arent a patch on him.

He's brilliant.

And he probably wont stay at Anfield

[slick]

Aye he'd be ideal for us as Hamman allthough playing great this yr is surely on his last legs and it would also free up another midfielder or allow us to play 2 forwards as we wouldent need Johnson or Fernandez to do the running for him.

I agree AFU in that he's probably looking for a club thats looking to win things but with the start City have had, the investment still to come and south Americans currently and from reading the papers about to come to the club, it could sway him to come down the m602 or as most likely is the case get him a better deal at Anfield.

[all_funkt_up]

Originally Posted by slick

I agree AFU in that he's probably looking for a club thats looking to win things but with the start City have had, the investment still to come and south Americans currently and from reading the papers about to come to the club, it could sway him to come down the m602 or as most likely is the case get him a better deal at Anfield.

I dont think its about getting more money at Anfield mate, I really dont.

He isnt being offered a deal, full stop.

As it stands, he will leave us in July. There is no permanent deal on the table.

If he leaves, it will be an absolute travesty. And one entirely of our own making.

[all_funkt_up]

Had a very good game for us today I thought.

[slick]

aye was probably ure best player today i thought too, shitty game though considering the talent that was on the pitch.
also pity Torres didnt lamp Ferdinhand as he's long overdue a clout.

[all_funkt_up]

Both games were shit slick.

Grand slam super sunday - my arse.