Suarez wants to be seen as a role model

Luis Suarez has made a conscious effort this past year to change the public perception of him, with the Liverpool striker keen to be seen as a role model rather than a bad boy.

The 27-year-old’s image had reached an all-time low last summer, with the striker agitating for a move away from Anfield and serving a lengthy ban for biting Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic.

Suarez, though, has managed to put the negative headlines behind him, netting 31 goals in a remarkable campaign in which he swept up the end-of-season awards.

Furthermore, there has been a vast improvement in the behaviour of the Uruguay international, currently attempting to recover from a knee injury in time for the World Cup.

“I want to change the bad boy image that has stuck for a bit because I don’t think I am at all how I have been portrayed,” Suarez told Sports Illustrated.

“I would like that to change because it’s awful to hear and read what is said of you. At the same time, you have a chance to learn from those things.

“I think I [have] been a role model since last summer; I have been professional, and I have the desire to forge ahead and play well regardless of what is said to me.”

Asked if athletes should not be role models, Suarez said: “Of course they should be. I realised I had to adjust my attitude on the field, to continue to play well but without the bad attitude.”

Part of that change has seen Suarez make more of an attempt to stay on his feet since moving to the Premier League — not that he thinks his reputation for diving his fair, anyway.

“How many yellow cards do I have for diving? I have a lot of yellow cards in my career, but most are for arguing, for fighting, not for diving,” he added.

Meanwhile, Liverpool could face frustration in their pursuit of Alberto Moreno after Sevilla president Jose Castro warned the left-back will not come cheap.

The 21-year-old has been a target for Reds boss Brendan Rodgers for some time and while there have been talks between the two clubs they have yet to agree a fee.

“It’s true that there’s interest from Liverpool and we’re waiting to see if that turns into a reality, which right now, it isn’t,” the president said.

“What I’m clear about is that we’ll not force anyone to stay at Sevilla.

“Whoever wants to leave can do so — but we’ll be the ones setting the prices. We don’t need to sell.”