Luis Suárez has encouraged Real Madrid’s hopes of luring him away from Liverpool this summer by admitting he would find it hard to resist an approach from the Spanish giants.
Real are one of the few clubs with the means to activate a release clause in the Uruguayan’s contract believed to be in excess of €40 million. Liverpool have repeatedly stated that their leading goalscorer is not for sale, a stance reiterated by Brendan Rodgers only last week, but fear Suárez could request a move in search of Champions League football.
Those concerns deepened on Wednesday when Suárez gave the clearest signal yet that he is prepared to leave Anfield following another turbulent season in English football. The 26-year-old scored 30 goals for Liverpool last season but collected a 10-match ban for biting Branislav Ivanovic, a suspension that will apply to the first six games of next season and left him considering his future in England.
In an interview with the Uruguayan radio station 890 Sport, Suárez said: “I’ve worked hard since childhood to get where I am and I keep getting constant criticism from the English press. It makes me tired. Liverpool want me to stay, but I do not know what will happen. It would be difficult to say no to Real Madrid.”
Suárez said Liverpool had treated him well and he had “only words of thanks for the fans”, and added: “So far I have not received any official offer from Madrid.”
Liverpool had hoped the firm support they showed to Suárez over the Ivanovic bite and the Patrice Evra racism controversy, for which he earned an eight-match ban last year, would be reciprocated by their €26 million signing from Ajax. Their lack of European football, however, combined with Suárez’s frustrations in England, have combined to open the way for Real.
Suárez’s admission arrived on the same day that Liverpool agreed a €9 million deal to sign Iago Aspas from Celta Vigo, a deal that will strengthen the belief that they have begun preparing for life without Suárez, even though Aspas has been scouted throughout the Spanish league season.
Celta’s 25-year-old forward is expected to undergo a medical on Merseyside after Liverpool moved swiftly to secure a deal for a player also wanted by Swansea City and Valencia. The Spaniard has scored 12 goals in 33 league games for struggling Celta this season but will not finalise his side of the transfer until after the club’s crucial final game of the season against Espanyol. Celta are third from bottom in La Liga and trail Deportivo La Coruña by one point ahead of their final home game.
Aspas has a buyout clause of €10 million in his Celta contract, but that will drop to €7 million in the event of relegation and, with several clubs interested, Liverpool struck a compromise deal ahead of the game that will determine his club’s league status.
A quick striker who can lead the attack, but who has also operated as a second striker and out wide, Aspas meets Brendan Rodgers’s criteria for a versatile forward who can strengthen the depth of the Liverpool squad next season.
The deal, coming a day after a free transfer was agreed in principle for Manchester City’s Kolo Touré, also reflects the Liverpool manager’s determination to move quickly in the transfer market despite the doubts surrounding several key players.
Suárez’s potential departure would inevitably have a huge bearing on Rodgers’ budget, although the Liverpool manager is prepared to consider alternatives to his leading central defensive target, Kyriakos Papadopoulos, should Schalke attempt to start an auction. Liverpool value the 21-year-old in the region of €14 million but reports in Bild on Wednesday claimed Schalke are now demanding €22.5 million. Sporting Lisbon’s Tiago Ilori is likely to be his next target.
Liverpool also expect Barcelona to confirm a long-standing interest in José Reina with an official offer for their 30-year-old goalkeeper. Reina, who began his career at the Camp Nou, was linked with a return throughout last season and a bid of around €12 million may tempt Liverpool into a deal.
Speaking at the launch of his Twitter account in Spain on Wednesday, Reina said: “It is difficult to say no to Barça although I am not aware if they are interested in me.”
Guardian Service
