Goal.Com Poll Results: Ever Banega the man to replace Javier Mascherano at Liverpool

The Goal.com readers have chosen......

29 Jul 2010 11:19:00

By George Watts

More On :  Liverpool, Javier Mascherano

Tough-tackling defensive midfielder Javier Mascherano looks increasingly likely to quit Anfield before the start of the new season for a reunion with Rafael Benitez at Inter, meaning new Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson may have to move quickly to find a suitable replacement for the base of the Reds' midfield.

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With that in mind, Goal.com UK considered the strengths of some of the best midfield enforcers who could be available to buy this summer, and asked our readers to vote on which one they thought would represent the ideal replacement for Mascherano at Liverpool.

We suggested 10 possibles to fill the Argentine's boots, including Premier League-based trio Scott Parker (West Ham United), Steven N'Zonzi (Blackburn Rovers) and Lee Cattermole (Sunderland), plus Kevin-Prince Boateng, who is looking for a new club following Portsmouth's relegation.

Also put forward were Rosenborg's Ghanaian Anthony Annan - who is now being linked with Manchester United - Dane Christian Poulsen of Juventus, La Liga pair Ever Banega (Valencia) and Mahamadou Diarra (Real Madrid), Steven Defour of Standard Liege and Moussa Sissoko of Toulouse.

Stylian Petrov of Aston Villa is the latest holding midfielder rumoured to be in Hodgson’s transfer plans, but the Bulgarian has appeared on the Reds' radar only within the last 24 hours and was not included in our poll.

Of the 10 who were, one emerged as the overwhelminmg favourite among Goal.com UK readers - and that man was Ever Banega. As many as 36.66 per cent of you chose the Valencia star as the player they would like to see on Merseyside should Mascherano depart.


Ever present | The man for Liverpool's midfield

In second place with 19.14% of the votes was Steven Defour, with Kevin-Prince Boateng in third on 9.54% and Sunderland’s Lee Cattermole the fourth choice, picking up 9.16%.

The apparently unavailable Scott Parker was fifth, collecting 7.92% of your votes.

Of the others, Mahamadou Diarra polled 5.3%, Moussa Sissoko 4.68%, and Anthony Annan 3.99%.

Bringing up the rear were Christian Poulsen with 2.43% and Steven N'Zonzi with 1.18%.

The readers have spoken, but will Roy Hodgson grant them their wish by swooping for the talented Argentinian?

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Goal.com Poll
Poll runs from 27 Jul 2010 to 28 Jul 2010
Poll runs from 27 Jul 2010 to 28 Jul 2010
Which defensive midfielder can fill Javier Mascherano's boots?
Ever Banega
 
36.66%
Steven Defour
 
19.14%
Kevin-Prince Boateng
 
9.54%
Lee Cattermole
 
9.16%
Scott Parker
 
7.92%
Mahamadou Diarra
 
5.3%
Moussa Sissoko
 
4.68%
Anthony Annan
 
3.99%
Christian Poulsen
 
2.43%
Steven N'Zonzi
 
1.18%
 
 
 
 
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