Friday, July 10, 2009

Liverpool Boss Rafa Benitez Plays Down Xabi Alonso & Mascherano Exit Talk

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has attempted to play down the transfer talk linking two of the Spaniard's midfield stars, Xabi Alonso and Javier Mascherano, with respected moves to Real Madrid and Barcelona, by reminding the press that both players have a number of years left on their contracts.

Alonso and Mascherano have proved a formidable midfield pairing for Liverpool. The Argentinian battler anchored and protected his defence last season in admirable fashion, while Alonso's deep-lying playmaking credentials allowed the creative hub in front of him, whether this was Steven Gerrard or Yossi Benayoun, to develop play.

Their sterling performances have attracted interest, with Florentino Perez wanting to lure Alonso to Madrid as his Galactico policy continues after the acquisitions of Kaka, Karim Benzema, and Cristiano Ronaldo, while Barca trainer Pep Guardiola is believed to be a keen admirer of Mascherano's skills.

Benitez, though, claimed that the aforementioned pair are a part of the club's long-term future.

He explained to the press today that, “Both players are our players and we are really pleased with them. Both have two to three years on their contract so we don’t need to do anything,” he concluded.

The ambiguous financial future of Liverpool's parent club Kop Holdings Ltd paved suggestions that if Benitez is to continue to reinvest in his squad, then he may need to sell one of the two in-demand midfielders, but his latest comments imply that he is keen to dig his heels in, in order to ward off foreign interest.

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