Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers said Monday he expects
unsettled star Luis Suarez to stay with the club after the Uruguay striker
arrived in Australia to join his teammates in "great spirits".
But goalkeeper Pepe Reina looks to be on his way out,
with Serie A side Napoli heavily linked to the Spaniard.
Suarez, 26, missed the first leg of the club's Asia tour
in Jakarta after being given time off by the Reds following the Confederations
Cup, but he flew into Melbourne from Montevideo late Sunday.
He has made clear he is keen to move to a club playing
Champions League football, and has been the subject of a rejected £30 million
bid from Arsenal.
But pressed on whether he expected Suarez to remain at
Liverpool for the upcoming season, Rodgers told a press conference: "Yes,
very much so."
"There's been a lot of speculation over the course
of the close season but the reality is that he's a player who is very much
valued at Liverpool and unless there's any sort of offer that comes in that's
anywhere near his value, there's nothing to consider," he said, adding:
"We haven't had that."
The Gunners are believed to be considering returning with
an improved offer, while Chelsea and Real Madrid are also said to be interested
in the controversial former Ajax star, who will miss the start of the Premier
League season while he completes a suspension for biting Chelsea's Branislav
Ivanovic.
Asked what Suarez's value was, Rodgers replied: "I
didn't say we would sell him. I said that every player has a value and a worth.
Doesn't mean you've got to sell them."
Rodgers, whose side beat an Indonesia XI 2-0 in Jakarta
on Saturday, plans to sit down with the striker in a bid to persuade him to
stay.
"We'll chat at some stage, like I do with all the
players," the manager said.
"But he's back, he's in great spirits. He's
obviously an integral part of the group -- you could see his closeness with his
teammates last night when they were all seeing him for the first time in a
number of weeks.
"He'll join training today with all the other
players and over the course of the next few weeks we'll communicate."
With Suarez yet to start training, it seems unlikely he
will figure prominently in Wednesday's sell-out friendly against Melbourne
Victory at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, although Rodgers suggested he could
play a part.
"They will all be involved, they will all have some
part to play," said the manager.
One player who does appear to be on his way out of
Anfield is Reina.
The Spaniard has been linked with a move to Napoli, now
managed by former Reds' boss Rafael Benitez, following the arrival at Anfield
of Simon Mignolet from Sunderland.
Asked for an update, Rodgers said: "The latest was
that there was an offer to take him on loan but that's something that hasn't
been discussed any further."
Rodgers has already brought in four players since the end
of last season, with Mignolet, Manchester City defender Kolo Toure, Celta Vigo
forward Iago Aspas and Barcelona B midfielder Luis Alberto.
But he is still on the lookout for more.
"There are obviously certain areas of the squad
where we're a bit thinner than others," he said.
"We probably need a wee bit more support at the top
end of the field and that's something we'll look out for.
"That'll be mixed with needing cover in the
left-back position -- that's something we're looking at. And we want that extra
bit of quality at the top end of the field."
0 comments:
Post a Comment