Will China be a ‘holiday’ for Javier Mascherano, like it was for his old teammate Carlos Tevez?
Fans of Chinese Super League side Hebei China Fortune have reason to be wary of their new star signing after his former national and club teammate Tevez took Shanghai Shenhua for a money-spinning ride
As Barcelona gave Javier Mascherano an emotional farewell ceremony after seven-and-a-half years at the club, there were tears, and there were hugs.
And there was an evident truth he wouldn’t be leaving for China if he didn’t have to.
“I had been thinking about this for some time,” the Argentine, who won 18 major trophies at the Camp Nou, said in front of his current and former teammates.
“I didn’t have the same strength that I had before to keep fighting for a place in the starting line-up. Sometimes you need to reset and to start over and seek new challenges in different places.”
Once an automatic first pick, Mascherano had lost his starting place at Barcelona to Samuel Umtiti, with manager Ernesto Valverde also bringing in 23-year-old Colombian centre back Yerry Mina this month.
Time to throw in the towel. Turn off the lights.