Benitez determined to keep Mascherano

Rafael Benitez insists he will sign Javier Mascherano permanently despite growing speculation linking the on-loan midfielder with a move away from Liverpool.

The Reds boss is upbeat about the prospects of completing a £17m deal for the midfielder but is fully aware he has no control over a third-party’s ownership of the Argentinian and any desire they might have to tout the player around Europe’s richest clubs.