LIVERPOOL MANAGER BRENDAN Rodgers remains confident that Luis Suarez will be a Liverpool player when the transfer window closes on 2 September.
The Uruguayan striker has been angling for a move away from the Merseyside club this summer and earlier in the week claimed he was promised he would be allowed leave if Liverpool failed to qualify for the Champions League.
However, owner John Henry and Rodgers have both responded by insisting Suarez would not be sold to Arsenal, or indeed any club, irrespective of how much was being offered.
Suarez hasn’t travelled to Ireland for today’s Dublin Decider with Celtic at the Aviva Stadium (5pm) but speaking ahead of the game, Rodgers said: ”He’s training on his own at the moment and understands totally where we’re coming from.
“It has been a difficult period for him but it’s my job to protect the group and the football club and once he’s back in line with the spirit and the commitment that everyone knows him for then he will rejoin the group. He knows where we stand as a football club and we’ll see what the future brings.
We’re quite calm and I’ve always said before that the club is in control of the situation. Luis has got three years left on his contract, he’s a player we don’t want to sell, he’s valued very highly throughout the world but we made a conscious effort last season to build a team around him and he did fantastically.
“We’ve been very strong on the point that we have no inclination to sell and we will continue to be — especially to a team who is a rival for us. We don’t feel as if we’re fighting a losing battle. He’s very much a contracted player for Liverpool and I’m confident he will remain that.
“Since I’ve know him, he’s fought for his life for Liverpool. There comes a point when he recognises the club aren’t going to sell and what I know about Luis Suarez is that once that time comes and he has his head around that, then the minute he goes onto the pitch he will give nothing less than 100%.
“This guy is a world class striker and he is at his happiest when he is on the training field and playing games. Once he’s fit and available he will be giving everything.”
