The Luis Suarez saga has taken another twist tonight with PFA chief executive Gordon Taylor confirming that the much talked about clause in the strikers contract does NOT state that Liverpool have to sell him for £40m. The Uruguayan hitman did a sensational interview with the Guardian last night claiming that he had both a verbal and written agreement with Liverpool that he would be allowed to leave this summer if a club in the Champions League came in with an offer of £40m or more.
The 26-year-old also confirmed that he’d brought in the help of the Professional Footballers Association to try and help force a move to Arsenal and it seemed as though the player thought he had their backing, with Liverpool seemingly in breach of contract after rejecting our £40,000,001 bid.
However, Taylor has been quoted in the Mirror this evening as saying that while there is an agreement in the clause that states Liverpool should enter negotiations if a club offers a minimum of £40m, it does not state that the club are obliged to sell at that price and it is not a simple buy-out clause. Taylor feels the interpretation of the clause is causing confusion but there is no guarantee Suarez would be successful if he took his case to the Premier League and even if he did, the procedure would drag past the close of the transfer window meaning any move this summer is dead.
Here’s what he said: “If you are going to have a supposed buy-out clause it should be that, but it is different as it says if there is no qualification for the Champions League [by Liverpool] and if there is a minimum offer of £40million then the parties will get around the table to discuss things but it does not say the club has to sell. “It quite clearly states £40million is a minimum offer for discussions, but it becomes really difficult with such clauses.
“There is a ‘good faith’ clause in relation to serious discussions but I can’t say it is cast-iron buy-out clause. “Luis is one of our members and we want to be supportive, however, he may well have thought such an offer would trigger a move. “The interpretation is not that simple by any means and there is no guarantee of getting a (successful) result if it is referred to the Premier League. “I just feel like in any other transfer it is better for both parties to get around the table to try to resolve it.
“You are hoping the club say ‘If you are determined to go this is the figure we are looking at but if you are prepared to stay another year and you still want to go we will accept this much’. “At the moment it is certainly festering and I don’t think it is a good situation for the player or the clubs involved. “It is not edifying and that is why I feel we had to do our best to get round the table and see if there are grounds for consideration for the move but it (the clause) is not specific and 100% certain. “We are in touch with both parties to try to see if some resolution can be achieved that is satisfactory to both sides.
” This is obviously not good news for Arsenal and it makes it that much harder for us to sign Suarez. Liverpool will do everything in their power to stop him joining us and even if the player now hands in a transfer request, there is nothing to suggest that would be enough to persuade Liverpool to sell to Arsenal. Brendan Rodgers will know fine-well that selling us Suarez would all but end their hopes of finishing in the top-four next season, so it’s difficult to see where we go from here.
I’m still not convinced Suarez is desperate to join Arsenal in particular, judging by his interview last night it seems like he just wants to play in the Champions League, so if Liverpool find a foreign buyer I suspect he’ll jump at the chance as long as they can offer him Champions League football. I’m hearing Brendan Rodgers has responded to Suarez’s comments with an interview of his own that’s due to be published at 11pm on Wednesday night.
Let’s see what the Liverpool boss has to say…. How do you think the Suarez saga will play out? Will he end up at Arsenal?
Source: Arsenal Station.
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