Javier Mascherano has pleaded with Liverpool to resolve his future as a matter of urgency, but the club’s American owners will not be rushed into meeting the player’s £17 million asking price, despite the growing threat that his representatives will look for a move to Barcelona at the end of the season.

Mascherano is two thirds of the way through an 18-month “lease” and is eager to stay at Anfield beyond this season, but, despite Rafael Benítez’s determination to secure his services in the long term, the club are reluctant to pay his representatives the £17 million fee stipulated in his contract. Tom Hicks and George Gillett Jr, the Liverpool owners, would prefer to wait until the end of the season and to pay a smaller fee, but Mascherano has given warning that the matter will soon be taken out of Liverpool’s hands.

“It’s simple,” Mascherano said. “With the time that has passed, it will now be more difficult for me to stay here because I need to do something about my future. It is a really difficult situation because I have been talking a lot about how I want to stay here, but it doesn’t depend on me. I have done everything to stay but the owners have to decide if they want to buy.”

Kia Joorabchian, founder of Media Sports Investments, the company that owns Mascherano’s “economic rights”, has indicated that he will take the Argentina midfield player elsewhere if Liverpool are unwilling or unable to meet his demands. Manchester City have registered an interest, but Barcelona are considered more serious contenders for his signature, with the player having been made aware of their interest.

Benítez is prepared to sell players such as Mohamed Sissoko, John Arne Riise and Peter Crouch to raise the funds to sign Mascherano, but, with the manager’s long-term future in serious doubt, Hicks and Gillett are reluctant to sanction drastic changes in the transfer window. They are, however, prepared to allow him to sign at least one defender this month, with Benítez optimistic that a deal will be struck in the next fortnight.

Fulham are among the clubs interested in Eddie Johnson. The United States forward turned down a move to Derby County in the summer after a fee of about £3 million was agreed. He chose to stay at the Kansas City Wizards and has attracted interest from Manchester City, Middlesbrough, Reading and Benfica. Johnson’s contract is structured to give him the final say over whether he is purchased by any one of 15 designated clubs, with Manchester United among them.

Emanuel Villa is expected to be the first of up to five players that Derby will sign. The Argentine forward will arrive today for a medical and agree terms. The 25-year-old plays for UAG Tecos, who finished bottom in the premier division in Mexico.