Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez is adamant Javier Mascherano will remain at Anfield this summer despite the Argentine's recent comments suggesting he would consider a move away from the club.
"When you have four or five top clubs asking about you, you don't want to say no because you know in football that everything can change. So from a player's point of view, and especially from the agent's, they try to keep the doors open for everyone.
"But does he want to leave? I don't think so. He knows the best option for him at this moment is this club. In three years' time you never know, but now he knows this is the best option."
Barcelona and Real Madrid are understood to be the two clubs leading the charge on trying to swipe Mascherano from Liverpool. But having breathed life back into his career when he signed the Argentina captain from West Ham 15 months ago, it seems Benitez is not ready to let his midfielder go.
Real have also made clear their liking for Xabi Alonso, who this time last year Benitez was trying to sell in order to fund the deal that never happened for Gareth Barry.
Despite the Spanish giants interest however, Benitez has made is abundantly clear to any potential suitors that they are wasting their time chasing his key players.
Insisting his prize assets are going nowhere, Benitez added: "We want to keep all our key players here, so it is the same story with Xabi."
"When you have four or five top clubs asking about you, you don't want to say no because you know in football that everything can change. So from a player's point of view, and especially from the agent's, they try to keep the doors open for everyone.
"But does he want to leave? I don't think so. He knows the best option for him at this moment is this club. In three years' time you never know, but now he knows this is the best option."
Barcelona and Real Madrid are understood to be the two clubs leading the charge on trying to swipe Mascherano from Liverpool. But having breathed life back into his career when he signed the Argentina captain from West Ham 15 months ago, it seems Benitez is not ready to let his midfielder go.
Real have also made clear their liking for Xabi Alonso, who this time last year Benitez was trying to sell in order to fund the deal that never happened for Gareth Barry.
Despite the Spanish giants interest however, Benitez has made is abundantly clear to any potential suitors that they are wasting their time chasing his key players.
Insisting his prize assets are going nowhere, Benitez added: "We want to keep all our key players here, so it is the same story with Xabi."
No comments:
Post a Comment