ARSENAL MANAGER ARSENE Wenger said on Wednesday that his side’s interest in Luis Suarez was “on standby”, after the unsettled striker called on Liverpool to let him leave.
Arsenal have seen two offers for Suarez rejected by Liverpool, the latter a bid of £40,000,001 ($62 million, 46.6 million euros) that the London club hoped would trigger a release clause in the Uruguay international’s contract.
However, in an interview published in British newspapers on Wednesday, Suarez said Liverpool had broken promises made to him by refusing to let him join another club.
The 26-year-old says he cannot afford to spend another season without playing in the Champions League, but Arsenal are running out of time to include him in their squad for a play-off tie later this month, as squad lists must be registered with European governing body UEFA by August 12.
Reports in the British media claim Suarez is considering taking legal action against Liverpool in order to force through a move away from the club, but Wenger says he is powerless to intervene.
“At the moment the situation is on standby. I heard that (Suarez is considering legal action), but this is sometimes linked with things that you don’t know as a potential buyer,” Wenger told Al Jazeera Sport.
“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.“It is nothing to do with us. We have been told that the player wants to leave Liverpool and that is why we have acted. I really don’t know what will be decided by Liverpool.”
Speaking to newspapers The Guardian and The Daily Telegraph, Suarez said he had been given assurances he would be allowed to leave the five-time European champions during the current close season.
“Last year I had the opportunity to move to a big European club and I stayed on the understanding that if we failed to qualify for the Champions League the following season, I’d be allowed to go,” he said.
“Now all I want is for Liverpool to honour our agreement.”
Gordon Taylor, chief executive of the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA), says his organisation is willing to act as a mediator.
“He (Suarez) believes the £40 million amount that is mentioned, if that is offered that gives him the right to go,” Taylor told talkSPORT radio.“Liverpool, from their side, are saying that is a minimum figure from which they will consider negotiation and of course they will want to keep the player, unless they replace the player with someone as good or better, which is not going to be easy in a short period of time.
“There are different ways it can be interpreted. If it goes to the Premier League it will take time and the (transfer) window is then closed.
“We have been asked to try and help to sort the situation out and we have been trying to do that.”
