Barça and Hebei Fortune reach agreement for Mascherano transfer

FC Barcelona and Hebei Fortune have reached an agreement for Javier Mascherano to leave Camp Nou this month. 

The Chinese Super League side have finally agreed to pay €10 million for Mascherano, with the arrival of Yerry Mina at Barça speeding the deal up. 

Mascherano wants to leave Barça after losing his place in the side to Samuel Umtiti. He feels he needs to play regularly in the run-up to this summer's World Cup. 

After longer negotiations than expected, an agreement between Barça and Hebei has been reached, with the Catalan club getting the figure they were holding out for. 

SPORT understand that the agreement could be announced in the next few days after the player communicated to the dressing room his desire to leave. 

PLAY AGAINST celta?

Thomas Vermaelen has even moved ahead of Mascherano in the pecking order in recent weeks, in part because of the Argentine's pending departure. 

However, everything indicates that he will start on Thursday against Celta in what could be his final game at Camp Nou. 

With Mina due to arrive in Barcelona this week, the green light has been given to speed up Mascherano's move to the Chinese Super League, with the club happy to grant the player hsi wish after eight years of service. 

Mascherano hopes to spend the next year in China, working with Hebei coach Manuel Pellegrini, and then return to Argentina to finish his career.