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• Defender has held constructive talks with club’s hierarchy
• 32-year-old does not expect to earn England recall

Jamie Carragher has confirmed he is close to finalising a new contract at Liverpool following constructive talks with the club’s hierarchy.

The 32-year-old, who admits England’s current defensive shortage will not lead to another international recall, has entered the final year of his existing deal after negotiations were placed on hold during the summer. Roy Hodgson, the Liverpool manager, said a new contract for Carragher would be a priority once the transfer window had closed and, despite the ongoing uncertainty over the ownership of the club, the vice-captain is expected to sign a two-year extension this month.

“I have spoken to the managing director, Christian Purslow, and we’ve had a good chat about the new contract. I’m sure it will happen,” said Carragher yesterday. “The most important thing was for the club to get the ins and outs sorted before the transfer deadline. That’s done now so I’m sure we will have something sorted out in the next week or two.”

Carragher accepted a surprise invitation from Fabio Capello to relaunch his international career this summer but, despite a lack of experienced central defenders for England’s European Championship qualifiers against Bulgaria and Switzerland, he is adamant the World Cup recall will not be repeated.

Asked whether Capello had been in contact again, the Liverpool defender said: “No. England will be all right. I think [Phil] Jagielka is a great player, [Michael] Dawson has done great for Tottenham and [Matthew] Upson is back in the squad now. England knew the situation at the start. It was a one-off thing for me going back. They were in a bit of trouble and so they asked me. I liked the idea of working with Capello and to have another chance of playing in a World Cup. I honestly thought England had a chance of winning it – can you believe that!”

Carragher’s 14-year career in the Liverpool first team will be marked with a testimonial against an Everton XI at Anfield tomorrow, with all the proceeds going to his charitable ‘23 Foundation’. He insists that, despite Liverpool’s financial problems and another modest outlay in the latest transfer window, the team can make an impact in Hodgson’s debut season as manager.

“I want to push on, I want to get in the top four and I want to win a trophy,” he said. “Liverpool supporters haven’t been to Wembley for a very long time because of the Cardiff situation a few years ago and I want to play at Wembley for Liverpool. I’ve never done that and that is one of my aims for this season. We don’t want to be treading water, I certainly hope not.”

Jamie CarragherLiverpoolAndy Hunterguardian.co.uk

• Mascherano took pay cut to join Barcelona
• Decision to leave had nothing to do with his family

Javier Mascherano’s desperation to leave Liverpool led the Argentina captain to take a pay cut to complete his £20m move to Barcelona. The midfielder has claimed broken promises – and not his family’s failure to settle on Merseyside – prompted his decision to force a move from Anfield.

The 26-year-old finally joined the Spanish champions on Monday night following a 12-month transfer pursuit plus a bitter end to his Anfield career, amid suggestions he refused to play in Liverpool’s 3-0 defeat at Manchester City to secure an exit. Mascherano rejects that allegation and has denied that his main motivation for leaving Liverpool was to be reunited with his wife and young children, who have lived in Buenos Aires for most of his time on Merseyside.

Instead Mascherano, who was refused a move to Barcelona last summer but promised he could leave if Liverpool received an acceptable offer this year, and who was offered a new contract at Anfield last season, has blamed his former club for the split.

“When they started to involve my family and to say things that didn’t make sense, I obviously suffered,” he said. “They’d promised me something for a whole year and they never fulfilled their promise. And that didn’t have anything to do with my family or anything else. When you read or hear lies, you obviously get angry.”

In announcing their agreement with Liverpool last week Barcelona praised “the intensive efforts made by the club in the final hours and through the player himself in the negotiations”, and it is understood Mascherano accepted less than his £70,000-a-week wage at Anfield to secure a four-year contract at the Camp Nou. The midfielder said today: “I’d also like to thank the club for their efforts. They’ve spent a lot of money and it was my duty to give way a bit to make this dream come true. When this chance came up I didn’t hesitate. I’ve joined the best club in the world and the best team in the world.”

Mascherano expressed his gratitude to the former Liverpool manager Rafael Benítez for rescuing him from a miserable spell at West Ham United in 2007. He said: “Rafa taught me tactics. He’s one of the coaches who have taught me the most in my career and I’m very grateful to him. He was fundamental. He gave me the chance to join Liverpool. He had confidence in me at a time when, perhaps, nobody would have dreamed of giving me an opportunity. I’ll be grateful to him all my life.”

Liverpool’s new £3.5m signing Paul Konchesky is to make his debut in Jamie Carragher’s testimonial against an Everton XI at Anfield on Saturday.

BarcelonaLiverpoolTransfer windowAndy Hunterguardian.co.uk

• ‘There have been a lot of lies. I will respond to them’
• Player says Barcelona move is a year too late

Javier Mascherano has warned Roy Hodgson that he will reveal the truth behind the “lies” that surrounded his departure from Anfield – and admitted his £17m move to Barcelona was a year overdue. He also insisted there was never an offer on the table for him to join Rafa Benítez at Internazionale.

Mascherano, right, was reported to have refused to play against Manchester City as he sought to force through a move to Spain, with Hodgson accusing him of being “selfish”. But at his Barça unveiling, he said: “Roy Hodgson knows the truth. This is a happy moment for me so now is not the time to say it, but a lot of lies have been told about me and I will respond to them.

“Last year Liverpool would not let me leave. There was no way they would sell me. They had Xabi Alonso and me, and they would only let Xabi leave,” said the 26‑year‑old.

“I was disappointed not to be able to sign last season. When the best club in the world calls you, then it is something that you want to happen. I have signed for the only club who really wanted me. In no moment did I ever think that Inter was a possibility. Rafa valued me and perhaps that is why people started saying that I could go there but this is the only club that pushed to sign me.”

But Mascherano was keen too to rebuild bridges with fans at Liverpool, with whom he spent three seasons. “I hope they get back into the Champions League as soon as possible. I still have a lot of affection for the fans of the club and I always will.”

BarcelonaLiverpoolTransfer windowSid Loweguardian.co.uk