Liverpool are making a new two-year contract offer to Javier Mascherano. The Sun says Mascherano's future remained uncertain despite Rafa Benitez's insistence that he would not sell his enforcer, 25, even if a £50million Barcelona bid came in.

Talks have begun to try and tie him down at Anfield until 2014 with a £5million-a-year deal - worth almost £100,000 a week. There were suggestions last summer that Mascherano was keen to return to a Spanish-speaking country for family reasons.

His agent Walter Tamer fuelled the rumours by claiming his client was "very proud" to be linked with Barca, saying a transfer would be "feasible".

But there was no transfer window move and Mascherano continued to show the form which saw Argy boss Diego Maradona hand him the armband.