Juve make Mascherano visit Saturday 6 January, 2007
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Despite interest from Liverpool and problems with FIFA, Juventus are stepping up their bid for Javier Mascherano by flying to London for talks.
The Argentine international only joined West Ham United in the summer, but has failed to settle in and is already looking for a switch elsewhere.
While the British Press is filled with stories of Liverpool’s offer to bring him to Anfield Road on loan in January, the Italians are prepared to sneak in.
It’s reported in both ‘Tuttosport’ and the ‘Corriere dello Sport’ this morning that Bianconeri director of sport Alessio Secco has flown to London for advanced negotiations with Mascherano and West Ham.
The intention is to bring the midfielder to Turin immediately on a permanent move rather than Liverpool’s loan proposal.
There are other issues at play here, above all the FIFA rules that seem to prohibit Mascherano’s move to any other side before the summer because he has already played for Brazilian club Corinthians and West Ham in 2006-07.
“The rules are very clear. Article 5.3 states that, although a player can be registered for a maximum of three clubs during the period from 1st July to 30th June, he is only eligible to play in official matches for two clubs in this period,” a FIFA spokesman told ‘The Times.’
However, the Italian media suggest that the timing of the transfer to the Premiership would make this rule void.
http://www.channel4.com/sport/football_italia/jan6g.html