[OFFICIAL] Liverpool Agree 18mn Mascherano Deal With Barcelona

Liverpool have agreed a transfer fee with Barcelona for Javier Mascherano, who asked to leave Anfield last month."The Spanish club have now been given permission to speak to the Argentina midfielder," said the club website.The Reds were keen to recoup the £18m they paid three-and-a-half years ago, after Mascherano joined from West Ham.Mascherano, 26, missed Thursday's trip to Trabzonspor, Thursday's trip to Trabzonspor, where Liverpool secured a place in the group stages of the Europa League with a 3-1 aggregate win.Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson has been eager to end the uncertainty surrounding the Argentina captain's future at Anfield."I am seriously hoping that in the next couple of days it will be sorted out one way or another," said Hodgson on Thursday. "Although I have no idea which way that will be."Liverpool also received a bid from Inter Milan, now coached by Hodgson's predecessor Rafael Benitez.But Hodgson dismissed the bid from the Italian side saying: "We received a fax about Mascherano [from Inter], but it was a joke fax."
Mascherano did not travel to Trabzon for the Reds' Europa League play-off but prior to accepting the Barca bid, Hodgson said he would not rule out selecting the combative midfielder for Sunday's Premier League game against West Brom.