Barcelona announce Javier Mascherano departure

Barcelona have confirmed that Javier Mascherano will bring his Camp Nou career to an end this week following a seven-and-a-half-year spell at the club.

The Argentina international was tipped to depart in the January transfer window after the arrival of Yerry Mina pushed him further down the defensive pecking order.

Mascherano will be given an institutional farewell on Wednesday to thank him for his many years of service, with president Josep Maria Bartomeu and the first-team squad all attending the ceremony.

Chinese Super League side Hebei China Fortune are expected to pay Barcelona £8m for the 33-year-old, who also reportedly had offers from Major League Soccer and his Argentine homeland on the table.

Mascherano joined Barca from Liverpool in 2010 and made a total of 334 appearances for the Catalan giants.