Roy Hodgson has today revealed that Javier Mascherano has expressed a desire to leave Liverpool - but insists the Argentina captain will remain at Anfield until the Reds receive a suitable offer.
Mascherano is believed to have been unsettled at Anfield for some time but on Monday made his position clear to Hodgson when meeting the new manager upon his return to the club.
Hodgson had failed to hold talks over the phone with the former West Ham player while he was on holiday with his family in Miami, revealing he had left a voicemail message but received no response.
"He wants to leave the club,"
"He's made that perfectly clear. I think he wanted to leave a year ago and he wants to leave now. But he's contracted to Liverpool Football Club, so whether he leaves or not is our decision. At the moment he's a Liverpool player and I will continue to treat him as such until a day arrives when he no longer is.
"The mere fact that the player is a little bit unhappy with his situation and would prefer to leave doesn't necessarily mean he will leave.
"It disappoints me but it's not unusual. In every football club in the Barclays Premier League - and in the world - there will be players that would prefer to leave their team. Some are allowed to, some aren't.
"So that's the situation. Mascherano is a Liverpool player, he has a two year contract and I expect him to honour that until the day comes when the club decides to accept an offer for his services." Hodgson told an Anfield press conference.
Mascherano had wished to leave Liverpool last summer, hoping to be the subject of a bid from Barcelona, but Benitez's refusal to countenance losing both the Argentine and Xabi Alonso in the same summer precluded any deal.
He had seemed set to stay at Anfield earlier this year, opening discussions over a new, £100,000-a-week contract, but talks stalled in May and the departure of Benítez seemed to seal his own exit.
No bid, though, will be formally made until Inter are sure of the funds from the sale of Balotelli, likely to be finalised this week, meaning the saga over the player's future may yet drag on into next month.
Sources: www.liverpoolfc.tv, ESPN Soccernet, Telegraph UK
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