Suarez will stay, say Liverpool

LONDON (AFP) –

(uis Suarez smiles during an interview with AFP after a training session on March 19, 2013, in Montevideo. Liverpool are “100 percent certain” that the Uruguayan striker will stay at the club after he indicated he was open to offers from rival sides, managing director Ian Ayre says.

Liverpool are “100 percent certain” that their Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez will stay at the club after he indicated he was open to offers from rival sides, managing director Ian Ayre said on Thursday.

Suarez’s future at Anfield has come under the spotlight after he told AFP in an exclusive interview that he would be willing to talk with other clubs this summer about a move.

Ayre however played down any notion the striker, currently the top scorer in the Premier League this season with 22 goals, could leave the club after signing a four-year deal last August.

Uruguay’s footballer Luis Suarez gives an interview with AFP, after a training session on March 19, 2013, in Montevideo.

“We’ve been consistent with Luis. Last summer he signed a new four-year contract and we have no desire to sell Luis. He is a fantastic player and a great contributor to our team,” he told BBC radio.

“We’ve been very honest with him and he’s been very honest with us.

“There is always going to be instances, particularly leading up to the summer (transfer) window, when people are quoted or asked these questions.”

Suarez said in the interview he was “very happy” at Liverpool, but conceded that “if another team comes around with more prospects of competing in international club competition games, which is willing to have (me), they are welcome”.

That appeared to be a reference to the fact that Liverpool are unlikely to qualify for the Champions League for a fourth successive season.

Luis Suarez at a training session on Monday in Canelones, 27km east of Montevideo. Suarez said in an interview with AFP he is “very happy” at Liverpool, but conceded that “if another team comes around with more prospects of competing in international club competition games, which is willing to have (me), they are welcome”.

But Ayre insisted that while other clubs would undoubtedly show interest he expected the 26-year-old to remain at Anfield.

“We are very pleased to have Luis and long may that continue,” he said.

“He also says in the same interview that he feels he is in an elite team at Liverpool.

“Every player is going to get approached by clubs because that is the nature of the game.

“Every player has a choice – that’s part of the game. He has a four-year contract with us and we hope he will see that through.”

Suarez is in Uruguay for World Cup qualifiers against Paraguay on Friday before a trip to face Chile on Tuesday.