Mascherano wants Tevez reunion

Reds midfielder hopes international team-mate joins him at Anfield

By Ben Collins   Last updated: 25th May 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Mascherano wants Tevez reunion

Mascherano: Tevez fan

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Liverpool midfielder Javier Mascherano has revealed he would relish a reunion with Carlos Tevez at Anfield.

The Argentina captain and his international team-mate were both at Corinthians in Brazil before moving to West Ham together in August 2006.

Mascherano saw little action at Upton Park before joining Liverpool in January 2007 while Tevez finished the 2006/07 season strongly to help the Hammers stave off relegation.

Tevez has since become a fans' favourite at Manchester United during a two-year loan deal with the Premier League champions, but that deal ends next month and Mascherano is aware of speculation they could be re-united.

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has been linked with a move for Tevez but refused to discuss transfer targets after the runners-up finished the season with a 3-1 win against Tottenham.

"It would be great to have Carlos here with me, I know how good he is," said Mascherano.

Admiration

"But I don't really know what the situation is, it is certainly a difficult one.

"I don't know exactly what is happening. The only thing I can say is that he is a great player and a great person."

Mascherano and Tevez were on opposing sides in the title race, with United seeing off Liverpool's biggest title challenge since 2002.

Sir Alex Ferguson was firmly against a proposed move to Liverpool for Gabriel Heinze in 2007, with the Argentina defender instead leaving for Real Madrid.

But the United boss would be powerless to prevent Tevez joining their arch-rivals after the Red Devils chose not to take up their option on a permanent deal.

Tevez has said he wishes to stay in England and it is believed he does not want to move from his Cheshire home.

"We wanted to win the league and we were very close, but we accept that Manchester United did very well also," said Mascherano.

"It is difficult to take, because if you look at the table and you see Liverpool with 86 points, that's enough to win the league in many previous seasons.

Squad reinforcements

"Previous champions have had less points than we had this season but we have to improve, and we will be ready for next season after what has been a good campaign and better than the last four or five seasons beforehand.

"We have the squad to compete in the league, but maybe if some new players came to improve the team it would be great for us next season," he added.

"It does not need improving too much, maybe a little bit."

Mascherano will link up with Tevez next month, however, for Argentina's World Cup qualifiers against Columbia and Ecuador.

"I will be with Carlos in the national team shortly, and we know we have to win important games," he said.

"If we can get six points from our next two matches we will be closer to the World Cup.

"It's important to win both games and see what happens, but obviously I want to be in South Africa for the finals next summer."