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Iniesta wants China-bound Mascherano to stay put
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BARCELONA captain Andres Iniesta has not given up hope Javier Mascherano will stay at the club amid reports the Argentine is on the verge of moving to the Chinese Super League in January.
Mascherano, 33, said last month his seven-year, trophy laden spell at the Nou Camp was “nearing an end”.
Spanish newspaper Sport has reported he is close to joining CSL’s Hebei China Fortune, coached by ex-Manchester City and Real Madrid coach Manuel Pellegrini.
“We haven’t resigned ourselves to him leaving because it’s not official,” Iniesta told reporters at a publicity event yesterday.
“On a personal level I’d like him to stay because he’s very important to us as a person and as a player, although everyone has to look out for themselves. But no-one can doubt Mascherano’s commitment to Barca after all these years.”
The Argentina international has won Spanish La Liga four times and the UEFA Champions League twice since moving from Liverpool in 2010.
Mascherano’s departure would leave Barcelona with only three experienced center backs in Gerard Pique, Samuel Umtiti, who is out injured until the end of January, and the injury-prone Thomas Vermaelen, who has only started three games this season.
Barcelona is unbeaten in La Liga and the UCL and has a five-point lead over second-placed Valencia and an eight-point advantage over Real Madrid in fourth after 15 games.
It is a scenario few envisaged after Real’s 5-1 win over its Catalan rival in the Spanish Super Cup in August. Barcelona visits Real in the first ‘Clasico’ of the season on December 23.
“We could slip up at any moment but we celebrate where we are right now because of how the team is playing,” said Iniesta. “There’s still a long way to go and after January it will get very tough but I think the team is playing well, looking solid and is starting to grow but the hardest part of the season is still to come.”
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