Liverpool may have to treble Javier Mascherano's wages as Glen Johnson signs

Liverpool finally completed the £17million capture of Glen Johnson from Portsmouth last night.

But the massive deal - which will earn the England full-back around £4m a year - could force Liverpool to TREBLE Javier Mascherano's wages to keep him.

Mirror Sport understands that the root of the Argentine's unhappiness at Anfield is the fact that he is paid considerably less than the majority of his team - mates . Barcelona have already been in talks with the midfielder.

And while they simply refuse to pay Liverpool's asking price of £50m, the Spanish giants hope that the player' s unhappiness will still force a move.

They are happy to play a waiting game. The 25-year-old still has three years left on his contract, and Rafa Benitez has already twice told him that he is going nowhere.

Despite being captain of his country, the man Benitez saved from West Ham reserves is only on around £25,000 a week - a fraction of the cash Liverpool's top stars Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres command.

His friend and countryman Carlos Tevez is about to leave Old Trafford for in excess of £120,000 a week.

And Mascherano feels he can demand three times the sum he currently receives ... especially given the deal offered to Johnson.

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