Joe Cole is headed north to Anfield in a deal that sees him making £90,000 a week for the next four years. Not a bad haul, and he’ll probably get to play some too after falling out of favor down in London town. A nice signing for Hodgson, who is currently fretting over attempts at his holding midfielder, Javier Mascherano. Seems the old gaffer wants to bring the Argentine down to Milan. Hodgson is clearly anxious, even if he says he’s keeping cool:

Hodgson has placed a call to Mascherano, but has not heard anything back.

“He doesn’t need to make contact with me,” said Hodgson. “I’ve made contact with him telling him I’m looking forward to seeing him in training when he returns from his holiday but I did make the point in the voicemail that I didn’t expect him to contact me.

“I just wanted him to know that I had been in touch and that I was thinking of him. I didn’t ask him to call me back. I don’t have a lot to say to him, to be honest, other than ‘welcome back’.”