MASCHERANO: WE'RE VERY CLOSE TO DEAL

Paul Eaton 28 February 2008
Javier Mascherano is hoping he will finally be able to put pen to paper on a permanent Anfield deal within the next few days.
The Argentine international insists it's now just a matter of time before the formalities of the contract are finalised and he can sign a lengthy contract with the Reds.

"We are really close," he said. "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's immediate focus now is helping the Reds pick up another three league points when they travel to take on Bolton this weekend.

And despite the high profile clash with Inter Milan just a couple of weeks away, he insists it's easy enough to stay concentrate on the important league games which lie ahead.

"We have to finish in the top four because we want to be playing in the Champions League next season," he added.

"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."

One player looking for a return to first team duty this weekend will be Xabi Alonso after his goalscoring display for the reserves against Manchester United in midweek.

Despite being out of the side at present, Mascherano is in no doubt that Alonso's quality will be needed over the coming vital weeks.

"Xabi is one of the best midfielders in the world," he said. "He has quality and class and he knows that if he keeps training well then his chance will come again - maybe on Sunday.

"For me he is an example to everybody. He is a player who has won the Champions League with Liverpool, a player with great experience and yet on Tuesday night he had no problems in playing for the reserves."