Wenger: Suarez bid on standby

Arsene Wenger has admitted that Arsenal’s bid for Luis Suarez is on ‘standby’.

Arsenal have seen two bids for the Uruguayan rejected by Liverpool, included an offer of £40,000,001 which was believed would trigger a release clause in his contract.

Suarez has hit out at Liverpool for reneging on their promise to let him leave if the club failed to secure Champions League football and has threatened to take legal action to secure a move from Anfield.

The situation could escalate if Suarez does try to force through a move and Wenger admits he is not in a position to do anything.

“At the moment the situation is on standby. I heard that [Suarez is considering legal action to force a move], but this is sometimes linked with things that you don’t know as a potential buyer,” Wenger said to Al Jazeera Sport.

“That is the story between Suarez and Liverpool and I don’t know what has been said, what has been promised and what has been written and that is only Suarez and Liverpool that can decide that.

“It is nothing to do with us. We have been told that the player wants to leave Liverpool and that is why we have acted.

“I really don’t know what will be decided by Liverpool.”

Wenger is keen to bring in a marquee signing but is struggling to compete with the likes of Paris Saint-Germain and Monaco who have both splashed out on big names.

“It’s going slowly. Slower than expected [because clubs have] more money than talent and the clubs with talented players don’t want to lose them,” Wenger added.

“Some clubs acted very early so the choices were reduced, plus there is more competition coming from France. PSG buy big players for huge amounts of money so it’s tough and difficult and slow.”