Suarez exit talk ignored
Ahead of World Cup qualifiers last week the 26-year-old gave an interview in his homeland which appeared to suggest he would listen to offers from Champions League clubs.
The Reds’ managing director Ian Ayre was quick to dismiss the comments as getting lost in translation but Rodgers claims he paid them no attention.
“I haven’t spoken to Luis yet. He was back late yesterday and we just ran the medical team over him and he trained this morning,” he said.
“All I am aware of is we have an outstanding player who has given everything for the club and he is very happy here.
“Every time he goes away, there is always something.
“I always say to players I have a simple rule: when you are with Liverpool just talk about Liverpool and when you are away with your international team concentrate on your international team so there is no drama.
“So what he says when he is with Uruguay is of no great relevance to Liverpool.”
Suarez patently did not follow his manager’s rule while in South America and although Rodgers flippantly dismissed the comments there is no misapprehension that what was said was, indeed, relevant to Liverpool.
But the club remain confident they can keep hold of their prize asset — currently the Premier League’s leading goalscorer — in the face of interest from Europe’s elite.
What may go some way to assuaging any concerns Suarez may have — aside from Champions League qualification — may be the progress made in enhancing the Reds’ chances of making a top-four bid next season.
Liverpool’s interest in Ajax midfielder Christian Eriksen has been known for some time and the Dutch club’s technical director Marc Overmars only served to strengthen those links.
“We have the list of the scouts of foreign clubs who have been here recently and Liverpool have been a regular visitor,” he said.
Rodgers tried to play down those comments but with 21-year-old Eriksen, one of Europe’s hottest prospects, out of contract in just over a year the club will be looking at him as a summer target.
“If you read what he says he says we’ve had scouts at the game — but we could have been watching any of them, we could have been watching players from the other team,” said the Reds boss.
“We will be looking at good players but I won’t speculate on anything.”
One area where he must strengthen is in central defence with the retirement of veteran Jamie Carragher at the end of the season.
Wales captain Ashley Williams, who performed so well for Rodgers at former club Swansea, has been heavily linked and it seems certain reinforcements will be brought in.
“We are going to be light in that area so between now and the end of the season we have to assess,” he added.” There is no player who is ever irreplaceable but [Carragher] is a big loss. I also have really good players here — Daniel Agger and Martin Skrtel — and between now and the end of the season we know we need to strengthen the group and that is what we will look to do.
“If it is not something we have in the group then we may need that type of character in there.”
Liverpool play Aston Villa tomorrow and ahead of the game their manager Paul Lambert has insisted his side are not dirty despite being bottom of the fair play table.
He said: “I’m a little bit surprised we are bottom [of the Fair Play table]. Because we’re a young side, sometimes our enthusiasm overrides things.
“Are Villa a dirty side? Are you kidding. We’ve got one player over 6ft. The rest are 3ft 9ins!”
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
