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Arsenal submit offer for Barcelona star [Spanish reports]

By on May 26, 2016

According to Mundo Deportivo, Arsenal are among the clubs who’ve put forward an offer for want-away Barcelona star Javier Mascherano.

Mascherano has been with the Catalans since joining from Liverpool in 2010 and has become a vital part of their starting eleven since being converted to a centre-back.

The Argentinean international has won virtually everything available to him in Spain including 4 La Liga titles and 2 Champions League trophies in his six years at the Nou Camp.

However, Mundo Deportivo claim that Mascherano has decided he wants a new challenge this summer and will make that clear when he sits down with Barca officials over the coming days.

The Spanish outlet states that Juventus are desperate to take the 31-year-old to Italy but they also name Arsenal as one of the English clubs who’ve supposedly put forward offers to lure Mascherano back to the Premier League.

Barca are determined to keep hold of the defender – who still has two years left on his contract – and Mundo Deportivo claim they are unlikely to do business for anything less than his £75m (€100m) release clause.

Given that Mascherano turns 32 next month and his value would drop considerably if they forced him to stay for another year, I personally think the Catalans would do a deal if Mascherano pushes for a move away this summer.

However, it’s still a real surprise to read Arsenal being linked with the South American as we’ve just signed Granit Xhaka so Arsene is unlikely to want Mascherano in midfield. We do need a centre-back but would the 5ft 8ins Argentinean be the answer to our problems at the back?

Plus, can you really see Arsene paying big money for a player who turns 32 next month? No, me neither.

There’s no doubt Mascherano is a superb player but this rumour makes little sense to me, so that’s why I’m putting in down to simple paper-talk.