Barcelona have announced the departure of midfielder Javier Mascherano, amid speculation that he has agreed to move to Chinese Super League side Hebei Fortune.
The club will hold a farewell on Wednesday, which will be attended by the first-team squad and club president Josep Maria Bartomeu and will be streamed on the club website.
Mascherano has been at Barcelona for seven-and-a-half seasons, having joined from Liverpool in 2010. He has since become one of the most accomplished players in the club’s history, with only three foreign players having made more than his 334 appearances for Barcelona – Lionel Messi, Phillip Cocu and Dani Alves.
The Argentine became one of the club’s regular centre-backs despite being signed as a defensive midfielder, after excelling in the heart of defence when called upon. However, his desire for a return to midfield is reportedly the reason he’s leaving, with opportunities at the position scarce at Barcelona.
Mascherano had famously never scored for Blaugrana until last season, when he was invited to take a penalty and duly converted.
He leaves having collected four La Liga winners’ medals and two Champions League titles.
