Rafa Benitez has confidently declared how he expects Javier Mascherano to follow Pepe Reina’s lead and commit his future to Liverpool.
The Reds midfielder has been offered a two-year extension to his current contract but, effectively, it amounts to a new four-year deal which would expire in 2014.
Mascherano’s future has been the source of some debate for most of the season, particularly as Barcelona vigorously pursued his signature last summer.
Liverpool officials, though, have been in constant dialogue with Mascherano’s advisors and the latest talks, which took place on Thursday, were very positive.
It has left Benitez bullish that Mascherano will become the latest key figure in his squad – after Steven Gerrard, Dirk Kuyt, Yossi Benayoun and Daniel Agger – to commit his future to Anfield.
“He is more focused and I know he is happier,” said Benitez. “I have spoken with his agent and now Javier wants to improve and he wants to push us into the top four.
“The approach (to contract talks) is good and he is happy. He is one of the best. He is captain of Argentina, one of the best teams in the world.
“The conversations we have had were very positive. The first thing is the player. He has really settled down now. Then there is the agent.
“He’s been very good when we have dealt with him in the past. Everyone knew that some clubs were interested in Javier but, talking with us, it was always fine.
“Will a deal be struck by the end of the season? I think so. I’m sure we will have (good) news about Javier and Pepe very soon.
“That will be very positive for the future. When I say 100 per cent (about Reina), that is because I know.”
As revealed in the ECHO on Tuesday, Reina has agreed a new, long-term deal and only the formalities of putting pen to paper remain before it will be officially announced.
Signed from Villarreal in the summer of 2005, Reina rates as one of Benitez’s best pieces of business in the transfer market and is a hugely popular figure at the club.
He is also one of the best keepers in the world and Benitez says evidence of that came with his spectacular stop from Christopher Samba in last Sunday’s win over Blackburn.
“Pepe is a key player and everything is fine,” said Benitez, whose side face Wigan Athletic on Monday. “There are no problems with either him or Javier. Pepe is a great character with great passion.
“When you talk about a goalkeeper in a top side, normally he doesn’t have too many things to do during a game. The save he made against Blackburn shows you his level.
“I remember when he came here, people said to me ‘for England maybe he is not the best’ but, for me, he is the best in England. We want to keep him for a long time.”
The Reds midfielder has been offered a two-year extension to his current contract but, effectively, it amounts to a new four-year deal which would expire in 2014.
Mascherano’s future has been the source of some debate for most of the season, particularly as Barcelona vigorously pursued his signature last summer.
Liverpool officials, though, have been in constant dialogue with Mascherano’s advisors and the latest talks, which took place on Thursday, were very positive.
It has left Benitez bullish that Mascherano will become the latest key figure in his squad – after Steven Gerrard, Dirk Kuyt, Yossi Benayoun and Daniel Agger – to commit his future to Anfield.
“He is more focused and I know he is happier,” said Benitez. “I have spoken with his agent and now Javier wants to improve and he wants to push us into the top four.
“The approach (to contract talks) is good and he is happy. He is one of the best. He is captain of Argentina, one of the best teams in the world.
“The conversations we have had were very positive. The first thing is the player. He has really settled down now. Then there is the agent.
“He’s been very good when we have dealt with him in the past. Everyone knew that some clubs were interested in Javier but, talking with us, it was always fine.
“Will a deal be struck by the end of the season? I think so. I’m sure we will have (good) news about Javier and Pepe very soon.
“That will be very positive for the future. When I say 100 per cent (about Reina), that is because I know.”
As revealed in the ECHO on Tuesday, Reina has agreed a new, long-term deal and only the formalities of putting pen to paper remain before it will be officially announced.
Signed from Villarreal in the summer of 2005, Reina rates as one of Benitez’s best pieces of business in the transfer market and is a hugely popular figure at the club.
He is also one of the best keepers in the world and Benitez says evidence of that came with his spectacular stop from Christopher Samba in last Sunday’s win over Blackburn.
“Pepe is a key player and everything is fine,” said Benitez, whose side face Wigan Athletic on Monday. “There are no problems with either him or Javier. Pepe is a great character with great passion.
“When you talk about a goalkeeper in a top side, normally he doesn’t have too many things to do during a game. The save he made against Blackburn shows you his level.
“I remember when he came here, people said to me ‘for England maybe he is not the best’ but, for me, he is the best in England. We want to keep him for a long time.”
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