Benitez determined to keep Mascherano

The Reds boss is upbeat about the prospects of completing a £17million deal for the midfielder but is fully aware he has no control over a third-party's ownership of the Argentinian and any desire they might have to tout the player around Europe's richest clubs.

Benitez said: "Clearly, I hope Mascherano stays here. We are talking now about this but I have confidence because he tells me he wants to stay."

He added: "I am confident he can be persuaded to stay here. When I spoke to Javier, he told me he wants that, so I have confidence that we will sign him. He is playing well and everyone knows he is a good player and there are not too many world-class holding midfielders around.

"He wants to stay, our supporters like him and we will try to keep him."

Mascherano, who caused West Ham so much trouble with his contract there, has a similar loan deal at Liverpool, the key difference being that the Anfield club's agreement is within the regulations the Hammers breached last term with near-catastrophic consequences.

But that means Mascherano is now being linked with Barcelona, Juventus and Manchester City, while Benitez's own attempts to buy the player were blocked by Liverpool's American owners in their well-publicised recent fall-out.

Benitez's renewed confidence could have sprung from what is a clear thawing of his relationship with Tom Hicks and George Gillett.

The fact the Spaniard watched his reserves win over Everton earlier in the week, with Gillett's son Foster by his side, underlines that normal service has resumed.

Foster was installed at Anfield to work alongside chief executive Rick Parry, and it would be inconceivable now to suggest discussions about January transfer targets are not ongoing.