Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers insists Luis Suarez must
apologise to the club and his team-mates before he can return to training with
the rest of the squad.
The Uruguay international has been made to train on his
own as the Reds boss was unhappy with the attitude he has shown recently, which
culminated with interviews earlier this week in which he claimed the club had
reneged on a deal to allow him to leave this summer.
That upset Rodgers and he has isolated the 26-year-old,
who owner John Henry has said will not be sold to Arsenal despite the Gunners'
bid of £40,000,001.
Suarez is suspended for the first six matches of the
season as his ban for biting Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic is carried over, but
even if he does not leave in the current transfer window there are still
bridges to be repaired.
"Initially there will be a recognition that [there
needs to be] an apology to his team-mates and the club," said Rodgers when
asked what Suarez needed to do next.
"I have seen him over a period of time I know it is
not the Luis Suarez we know and I have to protect the fans and the players
because they deserve more than that.
"He is a world class striker and when he is
committed to the cause of playing for Liverpool then we will welcome him back
with open arms."
Brendan Rodgers
"He has spent some days working on his own. The
group has been separate to that and working very hard.
"When he is back from his international trip [Suarez
will travel to Japan with Uruguay in midweek] we will assess it from there.
"I spoke to John [Henry] when we were in Norway
during the week and we are all on the same page really. We are adamant that he
will not be going to Arsenal - that is for sure. We want to keep him.
"Luis missed a few games at the end of last season
and we continued to score and win without him. That is not to say that we don't
want him here. He is a world class striker and when he is committed to the
cause of playing for Liverpool then we will welcome him back with open
arms."
Speaking on Friday, Arsene Wenger confirmed Arsenal will
respect Liverpool's decision if they choose not to sell Suarez.
Wenger said: "There is nothing to add to what I said
already about the transfer of Suarez.
Luis Suarez must apologise before he is allowed to train
with squad, says Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers.
"If it will be done, it will be done in a respectful
and amicable way with Liverpool.
"I didn't read (Henry's) statements but we'll be
faithful to the way we want to behave.
"To make a transfer happen, you need the agreement
of three parties - the buyer, the seller and the player.
"We know what we want to do. The player, if I look
at the statements, (does) as well. Liverpool at the moment do not agree. If
they change their minds or not, I don't know. We'll respect that."
Former Liverpool manager Graeme Souness, meanwhile, told
Sky Sports News that Suarez should show Liverpool "loyalty" and
remain at Anfield for at least another season.
Former Liverpool managing director Christian Purslow
believes the striker will have his agent to blame if there is no release clause
in his contract.
"I think he does [owe Liverpool] and everyone in
their correct mind would see it like that," said Souness, who won three
European Cup titles as a player with Liverpool.
"I think back to the T-shirts at Wigan when he got
himself in real bother and the Ivanovic situation last season - the board have
stood by him, the club have stood by him and the manager has stood by him.
"You would like to think a bit of common sense and
loyalty would prevail but that doesn't appear to be the case.
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