( CNN ) -- Spanish champions Barcelona have announced they 've agreed a deal to sign Javier Mascherano from Liverpool . The Argentina international asked to be sold in July and has recently been left out of Liverpool 's squad as his drawn out move neared completion . Mascherano is now expected to fly to Barcelona this weekend to put the finishing touches to a transfer believed to be in the region of $ 27 million . A statement on Barcelona 's official website read : `` FC Barcelona and Liverpool FC have reached agreement in principle for the transfer of Javier Mascherano , who will join the club for the next four seasons . `` The agreement was reached after considerable effort from the club over the last few hours and the willingness and desire of the player to make the move . `` FC Barcelona will give more details of the operation once the player has gone through his medical and the transfer is definitive . Javier Mascherano is expected to arrive in Barcelona this weekend . '' Mascherano played in Liverpool 's opening English Premier League fixture with Arsenal , but did not feature in either of the club 's next two games , as he tried to push through the deal . He was signed from West Ham in January 2007 by former Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez -- now in charge at European champions Inter Milan . New Liverpool coach Roy Hodgson had set a deadline of Sunday for the deal to be finalized , as the two clubs haggled over a fee . Liverpool also confirmed the deal on their website : `` Liverpool Football Club have agreed terms for the transfer of Javier Mascherano to FC Barcelona . `` The Spanish club have now been given permission to speak to the Argentina midfielder . ''
Barcelona have agreed a deal with Liverpool for Javier Mascherano . Argentina international set to finalize terms with Spanish champions . TL;DR Lionel Messi has signed a new contract extension that will keep him at the club until 2018.