One of the tories of the summer transfer season has finally reached it conclusion, as Barcelona have completed the signing of Argentina captain Javier Mascherano from Liverpool.
The 26-year-old midfielder today underwent a stringent five-hour medical that was conducted at a Barcelona hospital and at the Nou Camp, and he passed with flying colors, green-lighting the completion of his move.
This brings an end to a transfer saga that has not only dragged on through the summer and into Liverpool’s first season under Roy Hodgson, but goes back to last summer, when Mascherano appeared set for a move to Barca only to remain at Anfield.
Upon completing his move, Mascherano said to Barca TV: “The truth is it’s a dream, it’s a great joy.”
“It is a great club with great players and I will try to adapt as quickly as I possibly can.”
Liverpool will miss Mascherano, but they have already spent 11.5m pounds on a quality replacement in former Porto star Raul Meireles, and Hodgson can turn all of his focus on further strengthening the squad before the deadline, molding his team, and working with players who want to be at the club, instead of trying to deal with the distraction of one who clearly didn’t, even if there were justifiable reasons for it.
In any event, both parties can now look to the future positively. Mascherano finally has the move he’s been seeking for more than a year, and Hodgson has money to spend and time left to spend it.
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