According to reports emerging from Spain, Barcelona defender Javier Mascherano has agreed a three-year deal with Juventus.
According to the Sport, the 31 year-old Argentinian defender has reportedly agreed a three year deal with Italian champions Juventus in a shock move. The departure of Javier Mascherano, who joined from Liverpool in 2010, could leave a gaping hole in the heart of the Barcelona defence. As many have seen, Mascherano’s experience at the heart of the defence many times has taken Barcelona out of tight situations.
Initially, Mascherano came in as a defensive midfielder but his services were rendered more useful in the heart of the Barcelona defence where he saw himself develop from a makeshift centre-back to a permanent feature in the Blaugrana defence.
There were reports coming from Spain after Barcelona’s exit from Champions League this season that they are looking to bolster their defence for the upcoming season, which could consequentially mean that Mascherano gets relegated to being a fringe player in the squad.
For fans of the Bianconeri, this move follows a certain pattern that Juventus have recently shown – a proclivity towards signing experienced stalwarts from all around Europe who’ve been written by many of their former employers as past their peak playing years.
The transfer deal, however, is in risk, as English teams Arsenal and Manchester United have shown an interest to hijack the deal.
If Mascherano were to leave Barcelona, it would have to be not only a lucrative deal but also a guarantee that he is a part of the starting XI wherever he goes.
