Mascherano Agrees New Barcelona Deal

Javier Mascherano is set to extend his contract with Barcelona, ending speculation of a move to Juventus.

Mascherano, 32, has a €100 million release clause in his current deal which runs until 2018, but reports emerged recently claiming that advanced talks had taken place with Juve about a transfer earlier this summer.

At the time Mascherano spoke of these reports as just a “rumour,”  while saying he was “weighing things up” and had to make a decision about his long-term future.

Serie A champions Juve have already signed Dani Alves after Barca granted the defender a free transfer, but their  hopes of luring Mascherano as a replacement for Paul Pogba , who  continues to be tracked by Manchester United and Real Madrid , appear to have been dashed.

Albert Soler, Barca’s director of professional sports, said that an agreement had been reached on a new deal which would run until 2019 and would include improved terms for the player.

“Javier Mascherano and the club have agreed to renew his contract,” Soler at the news conference  presenting Andre Gomes as a new Barca player , “He will stay at the club for the next three years, with his contract being improved. We are all happy with this.”

There was also speculation that the former West Ham and Liverpool player was unhappy about a lack of support from the Barca board during a tax trial earlier in the year.

Blaugrana sporting director Robert Fernandez said there had been nothing unusual about the time it had taken to clear up the situation, and both club and player were very happy that a new deal had been agreed.

“We have been on this for a long time, but for thing and another, including timing, this has happened now,” Robert said. “Javier is a very important player for us, and we are very happy with him, and he is of course very happy too.”

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