Arsenal target Luis Suarez demands to be freed from
Liverpool
LUIS
SUAREZ has stepped up his bid to force a move from Liverpool by attacking the
club's hierarchy and accusing them of "broken promises".
By: Paul Joyce
Published: Wed, August 7, 2013
Suarez suffered a foot injury in
training
The verbal broadside came on the day
Liverpool principal owner John W Henry defiantly insisted the want-away striker
would not be sold to Arsenal. Manager Brendan Rodgers also insisted the club
had no intention of "selling one of the best players in the world to one
of our rivals".
Suarez yesterday pulled out of tonight's friendly with Valerenga in Oslo with a foot injury but, while he was sent for a scan on the problem, the forward was also plotting his next move to quit the Anfield club.
He claimed he is prepared to hand in a written transfer request this week and revealed he has turned to the Professional Footballers' Association for advice on the contentious clause in his contract he believes was triggered by Arsenal's recent £40 million bid.
Suarez yesterday pulled out of tonight's friendly with Valerenga in Oslo with a foot injury but, while he was sent for a scan on the problem, the forward was also plotting his next move to quit the Anfield club.
He claimed he is prepared to hand in a written transfer request this week and revealed he has turned to the Professional Footballers' Association for advice on the contentious clause in his contract he believes was triggered by Arsenal's recent £40 million bid.
John W Henry wants to keep the club as well
Last year I had the chance to move
to a big European club and I stayed on the understanding that if we failed to
qualify for the Champions League at the following season I would be allowed to
go
Luis Suarez
"Last year I had the chance to
move to a big European club and I stayed on the understanding that if we failed
to qualify for the Champions League at the following season I would be allowed
to go," said Suarez. "Now want is for Liverpool to honour our agreement.
"I have the club's word and we have the written contract and we are happy to take this to the Premier League for them to decide the case. But I do not want it to come to that.
"I don't feel betrayed [by Liverpool] but the club promised me something a year ago just as I promised them that I would stay and try everything possible to get us into the Champions League.
"I'm not going to another club to hurt Liverpool. "I know I have made mistakes in my time here but I have apologised lots of times. This is not about that.
"This is about the club having agreed to something both verbally and in the contract which they are now not honouring.
"I have the club's word and we have the written contract and we are happy to take this to the Premier League for them to decide the case. But I do not want it to come to that.
"I don't feel betrayed [by Liverpool] but the club promised me something a year ago just as I promised them that I would stay and try everything possible to get us into the Champions League.
"I'm not going to another club to hurt Liverpool. "I know I have made mistakes in my time here but I have apologised lots of times. This is not about that.
"This is about the club having agreed to something both verbally and in the contract which they are now not honouring.
"People may accuse me of
showing a lack of loyalty but last season we told Liverpool there was interest
from a top European club but they told me, 'We've got a new coach and we're
going to push for the Champions League'.
"I spoke with Brendan Rodgers several times and he told me, 'Stay another season, and you have my word if we don't make it then I will personally make sure that you can leave.
"I don't think the supporters are angry - I think they understand a player when he has the ambition to triumph at the highest level."
Earlier Liverpool principal owner Henry, who is in Oslo, spoke at a reception at the American embassy. He said: "I don't know why people ask us if we are selling the club or the best players, because we are not. We like to buy stuff, not to sell."
His comments follow his withering attack on Arsenal for the £40m bid a fortnight ago both they and Suarez believed would trigger a clause in the player's contract allowing him to move.
Henry mocked the Emirates hierarchy by saying, "what are they smoking down there?"
"I spoke with Brendan Rodgers several times and he told me, 'Stay another season, and you have my word if we don't make it then I will personally make sure that you can leave.
"I don't think the supporters are angry - I think they understand a player when he has the ambition to triumph at the highest level."
Earlier Liverpool principal owner Henry, who is in Oslo, spoke at a reception at the American embassy. He said: "I don't know why people ask us if we are selling the club or the best players, because we are not. We like to buy stuff, not to sell."
His comments follow his withering attack on Arsenal for the £40m bid a fortnight ago both they and Suarez believed would trigger a clause in the player's contract allowing him to move.
Henry mocked the Emirates hierarchy by saying, "what are they smoking down there?"
Suarez (right) says Brendan Rodgers told him
he could leave the club this summer
Liverpool maintain they only had to
inform Suarez of any offers of more than £40m and Henry was due to meet Rodgers
last night when he arrived in the Norwegian capital with a 21-man squad for the
game.
Suarez lasted only nine minutes of the training session at Melwood yesterday before walking off. Martin Skrtel, Glen Johnson and Daniel Agger will also be missing for the game.
The Uruguayan, who went through the motions in a cameo in Steven Gerrard's testimonial game at the weekend, picked up the injury despite cutting a disinterested figure in an open training session in front of 5,000 at Anfield on Monday.
Suarez lasted only nine minutes of the training session at Melwood yesterday before walking off. Martin Skrtel, Glen Johnson and Daniel Agger will also be missing for the game.
The Uruguayan, who went through the motions in a cameo in Steven Gerrard's testimonial game at the weekend, picked up the injury despite cutting a disinterested figure in an open training session in front of 5,000 at Anfield on Monday.
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