Transfer balls: Liverpool slash Luis Suarez asking price to entice Arsenal
TRANSFER Balls: Is Liverpool’s Luis Suarez for sale or not?
The Times: “Ball back in Luis Suárez’s court after Liverpool call bluff over contract”
“There’s nothing new to report,” Rodgers said after Suárez featured in the last 20 minutes of Liverpool’s 2-0 win over Melbourne Victory in front of 95,000 fans at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. “[Suárez] is very much a Liverpool player and over the course of the next couple of weeks we’ve got to get him up to speed. The support he has received from the supporters and the people of the city of Liverpool has been unrivalled. In this period of time he’s missed a lot of games for various reasons. The people have stood by him like a son and really looked after him.”
To judge by Suárez’s demeanour during his cameo, though, that support is not at the forefront of his mind. If the 26-year-old appearing sullen as he warmed up is not exactly damning proof, his failure to celebrate with his team-mates after he teed up Iago Aspas’s goal to seal the win was moderately instructive.
Here’s Suarez being not exactly elated at setting up a goal in a friendly match in Australia. Yep, no lap of honour and tossing his shirt to the crowd. The Mirror calls him “gloomy“.
The Guardian has lots to say:
What would a body language expert have made of Luis Suárez at the MCG on Wednesday?
That he fancies Coutinho?
To the untrained eye he looked as lugubrious as Graham Gooch on a long, bat-dragging walk back to the pavilion after a golden duck. Our first sight of him was getting off the bus and his countenance was indeed mournful, like he’d been sat next to Steven Gerrard and forced to listen to his captain’s iPod (to be fair, Sussudio will do that to you). He then appeared on the big screen, sitting on the bench, and he still looked downcast. Seeing that we wondered how anyone could be so miserable sitting alongside the Brazilian Botticelli, Philippe Coutinho, who, even with his Renaissance curls shorn off, looks like someone you just want to throw an arm around and protect from the world’s ills.
Who needs a body language expert with a tribute like that from Paul Connolly (GSOH, nice teeth, call me)?
And as the crowd roared when Suárez’s mug came up on the big screen the Uruguayan couldn’t even fashion a wan smile. It made you think of a parent trying to cheer up a grumpy child with buffoonery and exaggerated bonhomie, but Suárez seemed determined that nobody among the 95,000 crowd was going to spoil his bad mood. Finally he made the field, and he grouched into the match not acknowledging the warm reception. Not even a cursory golf wave. He still competed for the ball, mind, but that’s in his DNA. Overall, however, Suárez just looked like someone who didn’t want to be there. Not just Melbourne. Liverpool too. Then again, who knows, maybe it was just Sussudio.
Warm reception? The Cyprus Mail says:
Yet his appearance in the 72nd minute among a raft of substitutions sparked a deafening roar from the terraces, and fans left the hulking coliseum happy after watching the 26-year-old set up the second goal with typical trickery.
Having heard Brendan Rodger says that Suarez is worth £55m and not for sale, the Mirror reports:
Liverpool admit Luis Suarez is for sale but Arsenal hopes hit by £50million price tag
Rodgers puts £50m price tag on wantaway striker’s head after clause means Uruguayan can talk to Arsenal following Gunners’ rejected £40m offer
Suarez is getting cheaper. How’s that for negotiating tactics. The more Rodgers talks the more Arsenal must believe they are going to get their man.
And the Indy has other news to buoy the Gunners:
Striker wants to play in Champions League and believes £40m plus £1 offer obliges Merseysiders to sell
He wants out, then. And Rodgers, having put a price on the player’s head who was not, er, for sale, continues to talk and talk:
“I think the support that he’s received from the supporters and the people of the city of Liverpool has been unrivalled.
“In the period of time, he’s missed a lot of games for the club through various reasons. And the people have stood by him like a son and really looked after him.
“So I’m sure whatever happens in the coming weeks, that will be in his mind because it’s certainly something you can never forget.”
If you had a 26-year-old son who had grown up in poverty, spent years working and living overseas and now wants to leave home to improve himself, the best advice would be to make him stay by using emotional blackmail, Brendan. That way can only lead to success. Or his murdering you in the shower. But that’s kids for you.
And let’s not forget, Brendan, Suarez was hired for his loyalty not his goals…
Posted: 25th, July 2013 | In: Sports Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
