Barcelona bid farewell to Javier Mascherano as he joins Chinese club Hebei China Fortune after eight years at the Nou Camp.
The Catalan giants announced the news on the club’s website and will hold a special farewell ceremony for their long-serving defender on Wednesday.
Mascherano is due to say farewell to Barcelona supporters at Thursday’s Copa del Rey quarter-final second leg with Espanyol.
Barcelona released a statement earlier this week confirming Mascherano would leave for China but the identity of the club was not revealed until Wednesday morning.
Mascherano has lost his place in the Barcelona first team this season with Ernesto Valverde preferring Samuel Umtiti to partner Gerard Pique at centre back.
Umtiti’s recent injury saw Barcelona bring forward the signing of Yerry Mina and the Colombian defender’s arrival further adds competition at centre back.
Mascherano made 334 appearances for Barcelona in all competitions and scored once, a penalty against Osasuna back in April.
MASCHERANO’S TROPHY HAUL AT BARCELONA
2010-18:
Champions League x2
UEFA Super Cup x2
FIFA Club World Cup x2
La Liga x4
Copa del Rey x4
Spanish Super Cup x3.
The 33-year-old announced in October that he would retire from international duty with Argentina at the conclusion of the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
Mascherano signed for Barcelona from Liverpool back in 2010 and won 18 trophies across his time at the Nou Camp, including four La Liga titles and two Champions League.
