Mascherano signs new contract with Barça

Barcelona and Javier Mascherano put pen to paper on Tuesday afternoon to seal the Argentine international's new contract with the club. 

The deal had been announced before the World Cup, but it has only now been made official.

Mascherano has committed his future to the club until the summer of 2018, with an optional extra year also included in the new terms.

Anyone wanting to pay the player's release clause would now have to pay €100milllion, which shows how important Mascherano is to Luis Enrique's project.

Barça signed the 30-year-old from Liverpool in 2010 and the new contract ties him to Camp Nou until he's 34.

"I am very happy to continue at this great club and to share the dressing room with these fantastic players," Mascherano said.

"Let’s hope things go really well for us this season.  

"We’re looking forward to this season after some difficult times last campaign."