Liverpool's principal owner, John W Henry, has strongly reiterated the club's standpoint on the future of Uruguayan forward Luis Suarez.
John Henry insisted that the Reds' No.7 will not be sold to neither Arsenal - who have lodged two official bids - nor A TEAM OUTSIDE ENGLAND before the end of the transfer window. Henry says even it is too late even to consider a bid from overseas because there is no time to sign an alternative of Suárez’s class.
“We are not going to sell Luis. It’s a football reason. It’s not finances. At this point, so late in window, with everyone who’s already moved or isn’t moving, we do not have time to replace him…… So for football reasons we can’t – and especially to Arsenal. We’ve made that clear. I have said to Ivan Gazidis in a personal conversation that we will not sell to Arsenal. It is unequivocal, but that doesn’t seem to slow them down so I can’t wait to see what the next bid is….To sell to a rival for those Champions League positions, or one of them, would be ludicrous. Whatever the bid is, we won’t sell him."
Given that Henry apparently spoke to Gazidis before Arsenal ever made a bid in the first place..... What I want to know is –
1. Why did Arsenal make a bid in the first place? If LFC owner tells Arsenal Chief Exec that Suarez is not for sale and it is so unlike their usual transfer targets/policy. Was it just to unsettle a player who they thought might play an important role in Liverpool ousting Arsenal from 4th place OR was it in fact to appease Arsenal fans OR even for Wenger to get the fans on his side?
2. After John Henry stating unequivocally "Whatever the bid is, we won’t sell him."- why do they still keep talking about ‘not giving up’ yet?
Why?
posted on 11/8/13
Hey shortlight.
I'm gonna offer you the same bet I've got with an Arsenal fan. If Suarez remains a Liverpool player on the 3rd of September then you have to change your screen name to whatever I choose.
And if he is sold - I will do likewise.
You seem massively confident he will be sold so are you in?
posted on 11/8/13
Would Shortlight and the Arsenal fan have to collaborate in the making of the username? Or would it be a set period for both to have their chosen name? Or would you use both in one username but separate them?
posted on 11/8/13
Its very simple. They made bids as they were told wrongly about a clause.
posted on 11/8/13
It's^
posted on 12/8/13
without forking out as much as £1 Arsenal have destabilised Liverpool by rendering useless, their best player .
Because he can't play, and even if he does will not be the same player.
They have also made a hugely negative atmosphere around the club when people should be looking forward to the new season and talking about the new players that have come in.
posted on 12/8/13
Shortlight is officially a WUM
posted on 12/8/13
TOOR, I disagree. I am sure that Arsenal knew exactly what the confidential terms of his contract were but still decided to test the water. Clearly someone in his management team needs the money, so they are working their cods off to get him sold. To Anybody. Fred, I hope you are right and that he doesn't go to Real. But remember that comment he made, about 'a telephone call'. I strongly suspect he's been told that a transfer is indeed only a call away but with John W's unequivocal declaration of no-sale, they are biding their time. Also, being £590M in debt, with Bale not resolved, they may not be able to meet the cost.
JimmyTheRed
posted on 12/8/13
I can't see Arsenal knowingly making fools of themselves. It seems quite straight forward to me. Nobody else would have misinterpreted the clause and it seems Suarez and his agent were the only two that did.
Knowing that it seems quite obvious that the agent has wrongly told Arsenal about a clause and thus they put a bid they thought sensible but which turned put silly.
posted on 12/8/13
shortsight is an Everton supporter
posted on 12/8/13
TOOR, there's nothing foolish about them testing the water. It's just that, on this occasion, they came second.
JimmyTheRed