Rodgers’ Suarez fury
Rodgers’ remarks suggested he believes Suarez’s recent comments do not reflect the ‘Liverpool way’, and vowed to deal with any player who steps out of line.
The Uruguayan has threatened to hand in a transfer request if he is not sold, insisting in a newspaper interview he has a clause in his contract allowing him to leave to join a Champions League club for £40 million.
Arsenal have offered £40m, plus an extra £1, but Liverpool are adamant no such buy-out clause exists in Suarez’s contract and, speaking after the 4-1 friendly win over Valerenga, Rodgers addressed his star player’s handling of the situation.
Rodgers said: “My conversations with players will always remain private. I’ll never disclose any conversation between a player and I.
“In terms of the remarks that were made, this is a football club that has always worked a certain way.
“The Liverpool way is all about a club with ambition, a club that strives to be the very best, a club that is about commitment — that means that everyone is committed to the cause of fighting for the shirt.
“It’s also about dignity and being dignified in how you speak about the club, on and off the field, and it’s about unity.
“Those are the four values that run through my mind when I think about Liverpool. Those are the values we will always retain. If anyone steps outside of that standard, I will deal with it. That’s something that we’ll do. It means that we have a standard at Liverpool that I will fight for my life to retain. There will never be any player or person bigger than the club.”
Professional Footballers’ Association chief executive Gordon Taylor believes Suarez’s ambiguous contract means achieving his exit from Liverpool through legal action may not be successful.
With Liverpool determined not to sell — certainly not to one of their main rivals, like Arsenal — it means the striker’s long-running transfer saga seems destined to run for a while yet.
With Suarez and Liverpool intransigent about their own interpretation of the player’s contract, it seems the striker’s future may end up being determined by lawyers.
The PFA have been trying to mediate but even Taylor admits Suarez may not get the desired outcome if he goes to arbitration.
“If you are going to have a supposed buyout clause, it should be that but it is different as it says if there is no qualification for the Champions League and if there is a minimum offer of £40m, then the parties will get around the table to discuss things, but it does not say the club has to sell,” he said.
“It quite clearly states £40m is a minimum offer for discussions but it becomes really difficult with such clauses.
“There is a ‘good faith’ clause in relation to serious discussions but I can’t say it is a cast-iron buyout clause.”
Arsene Wenger admits the transfer bid is “on standby”. The Gunners boss added: “The situation is on standby. I heard that [Suarez is considering legal action to force a move], but this is sometimes linked with things you don’t know as a buyer.
“That is the story between Suarez and Liverpool and I don’t know what has been said, what has been promised and what has been written and that is only Suarez and Liverpool that can decide that.”
Meanwhile Everton manager Roberto Martinez has dismissed suggestions the club are in discussions with Manchester United over the sale of Marouane Fellaini.
Fresh reports have linked the Belgium international with a move to Old Trafford.
But Martinez has insisted Everton have not received any bids for the 25-year-old, nor have they for another star player in Leighton Baines.
Martinez told the club’s website: “There are no bids.”
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