Javier Mascherano's move to Anfield is now being held up by missing paperwork! The FA have yet to receive any paperwork from Liverpool for the proposed loan deal, although it's probably understandable that the club's officials are quite busy right now, in light of DIC's decision to bale out of the move to buy the club.
The Premier League need to get hold of the Mascherano paperwork before midnight, but it seems the problem is down to who actually owns the player. At the time of his transfer from Corinthians to West Ham, there were some concerns raised about him actually being owned by investment firm MSI rather than by West Ham. It now seems that Liverpool are waiting to find out just who it is that officially owns the player and holds his registration. Once they receive this, the deal can go through.
There is still no official confirmation that the move to bring Deportivo La Coruna's defender Alvaro Arbeloa to the club for £2.6m has gone through. Also expected to sign today is Spanish youngster Francis Duran, who will be signing from Malaga for a nominal fee.
24-year-old Arbeloa, is able to play at right-back or as a centre-back.
Rafa Benitez earlier confirmed Liverpool's hopes to have the three players signed by the end of the day. He said of Duran: "We will know more news about this deal later this afternoon, but we are hopeful there will be no problem, Francis is an 18 year old, from Malaga. We're waiting on Arbeloa and Mascherano."