Javier Mascherano has won all there is to win at Barcelona in his seven years at the Camp Nou, but his time there now looks to be coming to an end. He has dropped down the pecking order under new coach Ernesto Valverde, and Saturday’s Clasico against Real Madrid was probably his last at the club.
In an interview with TYC Sports earlier this month, the Argentina international made it clear that he wanted to leave in search of a starting berth elsewhere. He hoped an agreement could be reached that was beneficial to all parties, and such a solution now looks to have been found in the form of €10 million move to Chinese Super League side Hebei Fortune that is expected to be completed in January.
The priority for Mascherano was to obtain consistent first-team football in the buildup to next year’s World Cup. Russia 2018 will be the 33-year-old’s last attempt at winning the competition, and he wants the best possible preparation in order to perform at a high level. His sporadic appearances at Barcelona, where he has seen just 674 minutes of action so far this season, would have been insufficient. At his age, he needs the rhythm of regular minutes.
Mascherano has quickly established himself as a key part of Jorge Sampaoli’s game-plan with Argentina. His ability to step forward from the right of a back three and provide accurate distribution over varying distances is greatly valued, while on the defensive end, his reading of the game is excellent. Add to that his leadership and motivational qualities, and his ability to act as a second coach out on the pitch, and it is easy to see why.
But his place in the starting XI will come under threat if he isn’t physically ready for the tournament. He doesn’t quite have that quick burst of recovery pace he once possessed and that has been exacerbated by his lack of game-time at Barcelona. That was most evident in Argentina’s recent friendly defeat to Nigeria, in which his mind was alert but his body not.
Sampaoli and his staff would clearly have preferred to see Mascherano move to a more competitive league, but it is minutes on the field that are the most important thing for him right now.
It is clear how the move benefits Mascherano (who will also be handsomely paid), but it is also a good one for Barcelona. They will be able to retain his services until Samuel Umtiti returns from injury at some point in January and will receive a healthy €10 million towards his replacement - not bad for an out-of-favour, ageing defender. There are also indications that they would be happy to have him back as part of their coaching staff in a couple of years time.
For their part, Hebei Fortune receive an experienced and successful international who will raise their profile and can act as a mentor for their younger domestic players. Mascherano has good reason to make his stay in China a fruitful one, and coach Manuel Pellegrini will be keen to make the most of his presence.
It is, then, as Mascherano hoped, a deal that seems to work for everyone involved and one that will allow him to leave Barcelona through the front door, as his triumphs there deserve.
