International Sports
Liverpool have sold midfielder Javier Mascherano to Barcelona for about £17.25m, BBC Sport understands.
The deal is subject to the 26-year-old Argentina captain passing a medical with the Catalan giants.
But Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson criticised the player's attitude labelling the move as "selfish".
"It is just a selfish situation that players have got something they want to do and they just expect the club to bow down and accept it," he said.
"Unfortunately there are going to be periods of time when there will be some unpleasantness because players must also understand that when you sign contracts you sign contracts to play."
Barcelona confirmed the deal on their website on Friday stating: "The clubs have reached an agreement in principle for the transfer of Mascherano for the next four seasons.
"Barcelona will report the details once the player passes the medical and the transfer is concluded.
"The deal was closed after intensive efforts made by the club in the final hours and through the player himself in the negotiations.
"It is hoped Javier Mascherano will arrive in Barcelona this weekend."
Macherano's move to Barcelona has been drawn out by Liverpool's insistence on recouping the £18m they paid for former River Plate midfielder Mascherano when he arrived from West Ham.
The Anfield outfit had rejected an initial bid of £16m from Barcelona seven days ago but he subsequently missed Monday's defeat by Manchester City and Thursday's trip to Trabzonspor, where Liverpool secured a place in the group stages of the Europa League with a 3-1 aggregate win.
Mascherano joined Liverpool from West Ham in 2007, initially on a loan deal that was turned into a four-year contract in 2008.
Barcelona failed in an attempt to lure him to Spain last summer but on his return from the World Cup in July, Mascherano made it clear he wanted to leave Anfield, saying his wife could not settle in England.
Since taking charge of Liverpool in July, manager Roy Hodgson has been eager to end the uncertainty surrounding Mascherano's future with Liverpool also receiving a bid from Inter Milan, now coached by Hodgson's predecessor Rafael Benitez.
But former Fulham boss Hodgson dismissed the offer from the Italian side saying: "We received a fax about Mascherano [from Inter], but it was a joke fax."
Hodgson has also been disturbed by links between Dirk Kuyt and the Serie A and Champions League holders.
Following the victory over Trabzonspor the Dutch World Cup finalist committed his future to Anfield saying: "I have had a great time here so far and hope my future here will be great as well and that I can win trophies with Liverpool."
But Hodgson said he was growing tired of unsettling stories.
"We have to be forgiven for getting irritated by agents stirring things up even more," he said. "It is bad enough if there is a genuine offer and a genuine problem to solve but it is even worse when you are constantly batting away things you shouldn't even be talking about."
That said, Hodgson did reveal he was hoping to add to Liverpool's squad before the transfer window closes on 31 August.
"I am hoping that in the short period left in the transfer window we still have the chance to add at least a couple of players in the squad to at least replace the ones who are no longer with us.
"With Mascherano going we are losing a lot of player and not bringing any in so it is not good in that respect."
Source : BBC Sport
