Argentina midfielder Javier Mascherano has revealed he is close to finally making his move to Liverpool a permament one.
The Reds have been locked in talks with the former West Ham player for the last few months as they look to secure his future.
Mascherano is currently on loan at Anfield until the end of the season after joining the Reds in the 2007 January transfer window.
The Argentina international has been a revelation at Anfield since his arrival after an ill-fated spell with the Hammers.
Mascherano is hopeful he will put pen-to-paper on a contract in the next few days to end speculation over his future.
"We are really close," Mascherano told the club's official website. "Maybe this week or next week we will be able to say everything's finished. We can't say it just yet but hopefully in a few days everything will be okay.
"There are no problems with the fee or with the contract, it's just getting the papers finished.
"I have always said I want to stay here and so it hasn't been a difficult time for me. I have wanted it to be finished because I have my family behind me and I want to know what my future is going to be. I am calm and relaxed because I know that everything is almost over.
"I am very happy that in the next week I will be able to say I have signed for Liverpool. It will be the best moment of my career to be able to say I will be playing my football with Liverpool."
Mascherano also outlined the importance of the club finishing fourth and qualifying for next season's UEFA Champions League.
The Reds currently sit in fifth spot three points behind local rivals Everton in the battle to finish fourth and Mascherano insists they must keep up their pursuit of finishing fourth by beating Bolton this weekend.
"We have to finish in the top four because we want to be playing in the Champions League next season," added Mascherano.
"We have to win the games we have coming up before we go to Milan and so it's not difficult to stay focused at all.
"We had a good win against Middlesbrough on Saturday and now we have to go and try to win at Bolton. We beat them easily at Anfield earlier in the season but we know it's going to be harder this weekend because they're a difficult side to play on their own pitch."
The Reds have been locked in talks with the former West Ham player for the last few months as they look to secure his future.
Mascherano is currently on loan at Anfield until the end of the season after joining the Reds in the 2007 January transfer window.
The Argentina international has been a revelation at Anfield since his arrival after an ill-fated spell with the Hammers.
Mascherano is hopeful he will put pen-to-paper on a contract in the next few days to end speculation over his future.
"We are really close," Mascherano told the club's official website. "Maybe this week or next week we will be able to say everything's finished. We can't say it just yet but hopefully in a few days everything will be okay.
"There are no problems with the fee or with the contract, it's just getting the papers finished.
"I have always said I want to stay here and so it hasn't been a difficult time for me. I have wanted it to be finished because I have my family behind me and I want to know what my future is going to be. I am calm and relaxed because I know that everything is almost over.
"I am very happy that in the next week I will be able to say I have signed for Liverpool. It will be the best moment of my career to be able to say I will be playing my football with Liverpool."
Mascherano also outlined the importance of the club finishing fourth and qualifying for next season's UEFA Champions League.
The Reds currently sit in fifth spot three points behind local rivals Everton in the battle to finish fourth and Mascherano insists they must keep up their pursuit of finishing fourth by beating Bolton this weekend.
"We have to finish in the top four because we want to be playing in the Champions League next season," added Mascherano.
"We have to win the games we have coming up before we go to Milan and so it's not difficult to stay focused at all.
"We had a good win against Middlesbrough on Saturday and now we have to go and try to win at Bolton. We beat them easily at Anfield earlier in the season but we know it's going to be harder this weekend because they're a difficult side to play on their own pitch."
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