Midfielder still wanted

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has not given up hope of landing Liverpool's Argentine midfielder Javier Mascherano.

The Catalan giants have made no secret of their desire to take Mascherano to the Nou Camp despite Liverpool's insistence that he is not for sale.

Laporta is still hoping that Lionel Messi could persuade the player to move to the European champions despite Mascherano's insistence that he is happy where he is.

"Mascherano is a close friend of Leo Messi. We will see what happens. He's a player I like very much," Laporta told icat FM.