Mascherano could join Estudiantes Argentina Unlikely to renew his contract with Hebei Fortune

With his contract with Hebei Fortune of the Chinese Super League set to expire in December, Javier Mascherano has reportedly set his sights on joining Estudiantes.

There are several factors which play into the club's hands, with Gabriel Milito, a close friend and former Barcelona teammate, working as the club's coach.

The club's chairman is also a former international teammate of Mascherano in Juan Sebastian Veron, and the fact that the player has already rejected a switch to River Plate, the club where he started his career, very much suggests he has his eyes set elsewhere.

The former Barcelona defender left Argentina back in 2005 when Corinthians signed him from River Plate, and his footballing talents would then take him to England with West Ham United and then Liverpool, all before he found his best form in terms of trophies in Spain.