Monday, June 24, 2013

Rodgers: Reds Control Suarez Future

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers believes the club is 'in complete control' of Luis Suarez's future and insisted the Uruguayan striker still has a part to play in his plans.

Suarez has infuriated the club's supporters by making it clear that he is eager to walk away from Liverpool this summer, with Real Madrid and Bayern Munich among the club's believed to be eyeing up a move for the controversial marksman.

With Daniel Sturridge a big money signing last January, the arrival of Luis Alberto confirmed on Saturday and suggestions that Celta Vigo's Iago Aspas and Shakhtar Donetsk's Henrikh Mkhitaryan may not be far behind, a new look attacking line may soon be assembled at Liverpool.

Yet Rodgers moved to dampen suggestions that Suarez will be allowed to leave Liverpool in the coming weeks.

"The club is in complete control of the situation and for me, there is no change," Rodgers told talkSPORT when asked about Suarez's future.

"I'm quite relaxed about it.

"We are in a situation where we've got a player who we don't want to lose. We're trying to build something here and he's a very important part of that and because of the type of player he is he will always give his best."

Rodgers believes the support Suarez has received during his turbulent two and a half years at Liverpool is appreciated by the striker, and will only make a judgement on his future intentions when he gets the chance to speak to him face to face.

"I will always listen to players," he added. "I always work closely with players and listen to their point of view but the biggest word is with the club. Sometimes interviews get put out there and highlighted, but parts of Luis' interviews have been about how much he loves Liverpool, but of course that doesn't get highlighted.

"What I know is that the support Luis has had from the people here in Liverpool, the city and the football club, has been phenomenal and I know he feels that and respects that."

Rodgers went on to insist the imminent signing of Simon Mignolet from Sunderland does not signal the end of Pepe Reina's lengthy spell as the club's first choice keeper, stressing the new arrival will provide competition for the Spaniard and is not viewed as a replacement for the stopper who has been linked with a move to Barcelona.

No comments: