Liverpool boss Rodgers say club 'in control' of Suarez future

19 July 2013 08:39

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers insists the club are 'totally in control' of the future of wantaway striker Luis Suarez.

The Uruguayan's desire to leave Merseyside this summer has been clear from various interviews he has given over the last few weeks, but Liverpool have emphasised they do not intend to sell the player and rejected an offer - understood to be £30million - for him from Arsenal.

Rodgers, who has stuck by the striker through some controversial moments, insists he is not worried the issue will drag on and interfere with his pre-season plans.

"I don't want to set a deadline or put a date on it but this is not something that will run too long," he told the Liverpool Echo. "We are totally in control of the situation. It is one where we don't have to sell. He has got three years left on his contract.

"We are prepared to get some players in and spend money without having to sell Luis Suarez. The reality is that we have had one offer.

"There can be as much speculation as you like, but there has been nothing beyond that."

Rodgers was unimpressed with Arsenal's valuation of the player, especially in light of the amount of money Paris St Germain paid to take Edinson Cavani from Napoli.

"It was an offer for what they (Arsenal) considered his value and worth," said Rodgers. "Obviously for a player of his quality, when you consider that Cavani has gone for £55million you know... Luis is up there in that bracket of top talent.

"Obviously it was an offer we didn't deem worthy of the talent and even if they came back with that kind of amount (£55million) there's no guarantee he would be sold even for that because we are trying to build something here.

This week Liverpool confirmed Suarez had been named in the 27-man squad for their pre-season tour of Indonesia, Australia and Thailand, saying he was one of three players - all given extended leave due to being involved in last month's Confederations Cup - who would be joining the party later in the tour.

Source: PA