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The Reds website said: “The Spanish club have now been given permission to speak to the Argentina midfielder.”

Liverpool were keen to recoup the £18m they paid three-and-a-half years ago, after Mascherano joined from West Ham.

And the Catalan giants confirmed: “The clubs have reached an agreement in principle for the transfer of Mascherano for the next four seasons.”

The statement on Barcelona’s website continued: “The deal was closed after intensive efforts made by the club in the final hours and through the player himself in the negotiations.
“Barcelona will report the details of the operation once the player passes the medical and the transfer is concluded.

“It is hoped Javier Mascherano will arrive in Barcelona this weekend.”

Liverpool had rejected an initial bid of £16m from Barcelona seven days ago but reports suggest the new offer is closer to the club’s £25m valuation of Mascherano. (continue reading…)

Portuguese club Benfica say they have agreed an £18m deal to sell Brazil international midfielder Ramires to Premier League champions Chelsea.

The deal is subject to the 23-year-old - who has won 16 caps for Brazil - passing a medical at Stamford Bridge.

Ramires joined the Portuguese giants last summer for £6.2m from Cruzeiro.

He will become the second player to join Carlo Ancelotti’s squad this summer following the arrival of Yossi Benayoun from Liverpool.

Benfica say the deal amounts to 22m euros, which equates to about £18.2m at current exchange rates.

Ramires, whose full name is Ramires Santos do Nascimento, was praised by Brazil boss Dunga after strong displays in the opening stage of the World Cup in South Africa. (continue reading…)

The £32.5million Brazilian flop played his final loan game for Santos this week.

Robinho has begged Manchester City to let him quit Eastlands.

Now the 26-year-old striker will ask City boss Roberto Mancini to allow him to make his switch to the Samba club permanent.

He said: “I hope this is not goodbye. It’s not easy to convince the English to agree a deal, but I trust the leaders of Santos to be successful.

“I think I belong here in Brazil more than the Premier League.”

He added: “My agents have received several offers from clubs in Europe but everything is on hold until Santos meet City.”

Robinho is due in Manchester on August 4 but plays for Brazil in America six days later.

Mancini hinted City will not make Robinho stay in England. He said: “We have heard nothing from Santos and Robinho will return to Manchester.

“It depends on him. If he decides he doesn’t want to, I don’t know what will happen.”

Real Madrid’s talismanic striker Raul, forced out of the Bernabeu after 16 record-breaking seasons, has signed for Schalke at the age of 33, the Bundesliga club said on Wednesday.

Raul, who scored 323 times in 741 games for Real including a record 66 Champions League goals and is Spain’s alltime leading scorer, will try to revive his career in industrial Gelsenkirchen after falling out of favour at the club where he made his name.

“This is a great piece of news for Schalke 04,” coach Felix Magath told the club’s website after completing one of their biggest-ever signings.

“I’m happy that we’ve succeeded in inspiring such an outstanding footballer and world class player into changing to the Bundesliga and to Schalke. (continue reading…)

“Before I begin I would like to thank everyone in attendance, and thank you to the president for his kind words. I love football more than anything, and to play for Real Madrid is the best dream I can think of. I feel like a footballer, and I want to continue doing so as long as time and my body permit.”

“Throughout the years I have always tried to stay true to the values of Real Madrid. Today more than ever before I want everyone to know that I tried to give my very best in every play, every dribble, every shot and every gesture on the pitch. That is what Real Madrid is to me, and that is why the word surrender never existed in my head.”

“Today is a very emotional day. Today is a day of powerful feelings. Today is a day that cannot do without my gratitude and thanks. It is impossible to name each and every person who over this time have stood by me and helped me. (continue reading…)

Manchester United central defender Nemanja Vidic has agreed a new “long-term” contract at the Premier League club, says chief executive David Gill.

Vidic, 28, joined United in 2006 for £7m from Spartak Moscow and has been a mainstay of the side ever since.

The Serbia international had been rumoured to be leaving United with Real Madrid reportedly interested.

Gill told MUTV: “We’ve shaken hands on it and we’re confident it will all be signed and sealed in early August.”

Vidic’s decision to stay at United is a huge boost for the club considering fellow central defender Rio Ferdinand’s injury problems.
Ferdinand is recovering from the knee injury that ruled him out of the 2010 World Cup and which will see him miss the start of the domestic season.

The England captain was also plagued by back and groin problems last season, limiting his involvement.

During his four years at United, Vidic has won the Premier League three times, as well as the Champions League and three League Cup medals.

“There was a lot of speculation about Nemanja’s future but in my view it’s been the media drumming some old stories,” added Gill.

“They certainly didn’t come out of the Manchester United camp and I’m confident they didn’t come out of Nemanja’s camp. (continue reading…)

Carlo Ancelotti’s admission that he would love to have Kaka at Chelsea has sparked talks between the playmaker’s dad and his bosses at Real Madrid.

Bosco Leite, who also acts as the 28-year-old’s agent, was pictured at the Bernabeu on Monday afternoon and headed for a meeting with Real director Jose Angel Sanchez, according to Madrid sports paper AS.

Kaka’s £56million signing from AC Milan 12 months ago sparked a massive summer spending spree by the Spanish giants, but the Brazil international’s performances last season were far from impressive.

The 2007 World Player of the Year was also disappointing at the World Cup after an injury-hit year and his future has been brought into question.

Kaka is recovering from thigh and pelvis injuries and Leite and Madrid met to discuss when he would join up with the club for pre-season training. (continue reading…)

Chelsea have confirmed that Joe Cole and Michael Ballack are to leave the club on free transfers this summer.

Cole, 28, will depart at the start of July after the Premier League champions reportedly said they would not offer the England midfielder a fresh deal.

Germany midfielder Ballack, 33, who has been with Chelsea since 2006, will also not have his contract renewed.

Chelsea also said right-back Juliano Belletti will be leaving when his deal expires at the end of this month.

Cole joined Chelsea from West Ham for £6.6m in 2003 and is in South Africa preparing for the World Cup.
His departure from Stamford Bridge will surprise many as he is expected to play an important role for England manager Fabio Capello in South Africa.

“We would like to thank him for his dedicated years of service and wish him well in his future career,” read a Chelsea statement.

He struggled to hold down a starting berth in the Chelsea team during the 2009/10 season after returning from a serious knee injury last September.

Cole made 26 league appearances and scored two goals in the campaign - including a vital strike in the 2-1 victory over title rivals Manchester United in April.

Reports surfaced during the season that Cole’s future was in doubt as contract negotiations over a new contract stalled, with suggestions that the player and his representatives angered Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich with their hard-line stance over wages. (continue reading…)

Inter Milan have announced that former Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has agreed to become the club’s new coach.

“We’ve got an agreement, we finalised the last details that in any case weren’t important,” Inter president Massimo Moratti told ANSA news agency.

Moratti said Inter would on Tuesday confirm details of Benitez’s unveiling as the club’s coach.

Benitez, 50, left Liverpool last week after six years at Anfield and will succeed Jose Mourinho at the San Siro.

Moratti revealed negotiations with Benitez had not taken place in person and said the Spaniard was due to arrive in Milan this week ahead of finalising his move to the European champions.

“All that is needed now is a counter-signature,” added the Inter president.

Benitez has a strong track record in European football, having won the Champions League with Liverpool in 2005 and the Uefa Cup with Valencia in 2004.

But he would have big shoes to fill at Inter, with Mourinho winning the league in both seasons he was at the club, not to mention securing the Champions League and Italian Cup last season.
And before Mourinho’s spell at the club, Inter won three consecutive titles under Manchester City’s current manager Roberto Mancini. (continue reading…)