Brendan Rodgers wants Arsenal to raise their bid for Luis Suarez

Brendan Rodgers wants Arsenal to up their bid for Luis Suarez

Brendan Rodgers has claimed that Arsenal will have to up their bid if they wish to sign the unsettled striker Luis Suarez.

The Liverpool boss has insisted that the 26-year-old Uruguayan is worth much more than Arsenal’s second bid of £40m plus £1.

Arsenal had initially offered £35m for Suarez and later increased it to the unusual plus one offer that triggered a clause in his contract that means he has been told of the bid and can now talk to Arsenal. But it seems like it will take a lot more than that for Suarez to exit Anfield.

“If Arsenal want the player, then they have to produce the value for the player,” Rodgers told reporters in Australia.

“There was an offer a few weeks ago of £35million and two weeks later it is now £40m and a pound – I don’t think it is anywhere near the value of what he is worth.

“But it is twofold, really. A player may want to go, but then somebody has to pay the value or worth of that player.”

Suarez was a substitute Liverpool’s 2-0 victory over Melbourne Victory on Wednesday and Rodgers believes that he should play as long as he is paid by the club.

“There is no change for me or Luis. He is a paid player at Liverpool so he just needs to get on with getting fit. That is how it is.

“Until somebody tells me something different, that is what all my concentration will be on. There will be no games played at Liverpool.

“Luis is part of the group and he knows the standard you have to meet at this club – on and off the field.

“After the bid came in Luis was OK, he said he was OK to go on the pitch and his focus was fine.

“It may be a distraction but players are played enough money now to produce for their clubs and he just has to keep his professionalism, which he has done.”