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What's the story?
Javier Mascherano and Gerard Deulofeu have all but confirmed their exit from Barcelona, according to multiple reports in Spanish news outlets AS and Sport. Mascherano has rejected the chance to go back to Argentina and has instead opted for a move to Chinese Super League club Hebei Fortune, with the club reportedly agreeing to a few that will net them around €6 million. As for Deulofeu, the winger is reportedly close to confirming a loan deal that will see him move to Napoli until the end of the 2017/18 season.
Also Read: 5 Barcelona players who could be available in January
In case you didn't know...
Javier Mascherano was already on the verge of leaving the club last summer, only to then commit his future to Barcelona and sign a contract that would last until the summer of 2019. However, the Argentine defender has found regular playing time hard to come by, due to injuries and the partnership of Gerard Pique and Samuel Umtiti.
Barcelona exercised their buyback option on Gerard Deulofeu in the summer, bringing the winger back from AC Milan at the request of manager Ernesto Valverde, with the winger's contract running out in 2019, with a low release clause of €20 million.
The heart of the matter
Javier Mascherano's desire to leave has already been made public, ever since Argentina manager Jorge Sampaoli reiterated that only players who were regularly featuring for their clubs would be on the plane to Russia.
Thus, Barcelona have agreed to let their Mascherano leave as a reward for years of loyalty. The defender initially was considering a move back to River Plate, but given the value of the peso, the club could only afford a €3 million offer. Thus, Mascherano has been left with no choice but to move to China, with Hebei Fortune reportedly offering him a €7 million salary.
Barcelona hope to replace Mascherano with Yerry Mina, by bringing forward their deal with Palmeiras to January, instead of the summer. Meanwhile, Gerard Deulofeu has grown nervous about his place in the Spanish squad, with the winger left out of Ernesto Valverde's squad against Villarreal, coupled with the return to fitness of Ousmane Dembele.
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Author's Take:
Replacing Mascherano with Yerry Mina might be a bit of a gamble for Barcelona, as they currently only have three options at centre-back. However, the resurgence of Thomas Vermaelen ought to tide Barcelona over as the youngster adapts to La Liga. Letting Deulofeu go, on the other hand, might be a bit risky, as the winger could prove to be a valuable squad player once the business end of the season comes around.
