Argentina head coach Jose Pekerman has travelled to Spain to meet-up with his European-based players before the announcement of his final 23-man World Cup squad, an Argentina national team spokesman said on Tuesday.

Albiceleste boss Jose Pekerman and his team assistant, Hugo Tocalli, left Buenos Aires on Monday night for Madrid, spokesman Andres Ventura said.

Neither Pekerman or Tocalli were willing to make any comment on their schedule, or what players they intended to contact, but Ventura said they would be holding meetings with several players next Monday and Tuesday near the Spanish capital, Madrid.

The Argentine media is now feverishly speculating on which players would be called to the meetings, hoping for any early sign of the final 23-man squad list to be submitted to FIFA by May 15.

Players such as Barcelona’s 18-year-old up-and-coming star Lionel Messi, who is just returning from injury, along with Carlos Tevez, who recently won the Copa Libertadores with Brazil's Corinthians with a beautifully crafted opening goal in the final, are both guaranteed places in the squad.

Another certainty in the squad is Chelsea’s Hernan Crespo who has just earned his first ever League Championship medal in Europe, having helped reigning English league champions Chelsea to their second successive Premiership title.

Argentina have been drawn in Group C in the World Cup Finals, alongside Ivory Coast, Serbia-Montenegro and the Netherlands in the group nicknamed “The Group of Death.”

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