Rafael Benítez will attempt to persuade Javier Mascherano to turn down a place at the Olympic Games despite being powerless to prevent the Argentinian appearing in Beijing should he choose to go.
The influential Liverpool midfielder is expected to be included as one of three over-age players in Argentina's squad for this summer's Olympics, which runs from August 8 to 24 but stages its opening group matches from August 6. Mascherano will miss the final weeks of pre-season training and the first week of the new Premier League season, which begins on August 16, should he opt to defend the gold medal he won with Argentina in Athens four years ago. He is on record as saying he wishes to play in the Olympics.
Despite this, Benítez will ask his £18.6m signing to put club before country. The Liverpool manager is resigned to losing Brazil's Lucas to the Olympics, plus the reserve winger Sebastian Leto with Argentina."We will try to find a solution with Mascherano that will be the best for the club and the best for the player," Benítez said.
Benítez is hopeful of a breakthrough in his lengthy and acrimonious pursuit of Gareth Barry once he returns from international duty in Trinidad &Tobago next week. Should Barry reject a new contract offer at Aston Villa and informs Martin O'Neill he wishes to join Liverpool, then Benítez will encourage further offers for Xabi Alonso. Juventus officials held talks with their Anfield counterparts on Merseyside last week but Liverpool dismissed a £10m-plus-player offer and want £16m.
Liverpool, Villa and Everton are among several clubs monitoring James Milner's situation at Newcastle United. He will be allowed to leave for about £5m.
Gretna were demoted to the Third Division by the Scottish Football League yesterday. The club, whose relegation from the Premier League had been sealed by going into administration in March, have since made all their employees redundant.
At yesterday's annual general meeting it was decided to relegate the club to the bottom tier but they will be expelled altogether if a takeover is not completed by the early part of next week. Airdrie United and Stranraer were promoted to the First and Second Divisions respectively because of Gretna's financial problems.
Gretna's best hope of survival appears to be Paul Davies, a Glasgow-based agent, who is in takeover discussions with Wilson Field, the administrators.
