Masch 'very happy' with Reds
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Javier Mascherano claims there was no way he could pass up the opportunity to join Liverpool, and is 'very happy' at the club.
The Argentina international endured a miserable spell at West Ham during the first half of the season, but was rescued when Rafa Benitez swooped to bring him to Anfield in the January transfer window.
Since joining the club, he has helped Liverpool to reach the UEFA Champions League final, and admits he is delighted with his decision.
"The reality is that things didn't work out for me in London and I couldn't let this opportunity pass: the chance to come to a big team - to fight for important things," he told UEFA Champions Magazine.
"I'm very happy with the decision I made to come here."
There had been strong rumours that Mascherano could head to Serie A or La Liga before Liverpool made a move for him, with the player admitting he had eyed a switch to Italy.
But the 22-year-old says Benitez spoke to him at length about his intentions until he was convinced the player wanted to play for Liverpool.
"He asked whether I wanted to stay in England or go somewhere else. It's logical that, before starting the transfer work, he wanted to know he had a 'yes' on my part.
"Otherwise it wouldn't be worth doing all the paperwork, which was rather a lot," he jokes, in reference to the issues with Fifa transfer regulations that surrounded the move.
"We spoke a bit about my role. He'd seen me play for some time, but I'd never had the opportunity to speak with him before.
"He asked about my ideas; what I thought. All the basic stuff from a manager who wants to bring a player to his club."
Asked which players he admired growing up, he names Argentina stars Diego Maradona, Matias Almeyda and Diego Simeone, but he admits to having one stand-out favourite in the modern game.
"(Claude) Makelele is a fantastic player. I love how he plays." -
he's really gd
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hope he stays
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well....he should
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he is a damn good midfielder
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tevez will always be more well loved than him...