Outcast wants things to stay friendly.
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Liverpool’s outcast striker Luis Suarez has admitted that he hopes he can find a “friendly” resolution to his contract problem with the club this summer, Sky Sports reports.
The Uruguayan striker is looking to leave the Anfield side this summer in the hope of securing a move to a side able to offer Champions League football this season with Arsenal leading the chase.
Suarez is convinced that he has been lied to by manager Brendan Rodgers, who persuaded him to stay on last summer with the promise of being let go should the club fail to qualify for the tournament and will now seek help from the PFA in order to facilitate a move.
Rodgers has suggested that the 26-year-old had shown a “total disrespect” to the club with his outburst and has since forced him to train alone, and though he still wants to leave, he has said he is “still defending the Liverpool shirt” until his future is resolved.
“I’m still defending the Liverpool shirt and I will do so until the last minute,” Suarez is quoted as saying Marca.
“My aim is to reach an agreement with the club in a friendly manner and I hope the clause we agreed a year ago is fulfilled. Up to now, it hasn’t been.
“It’s not that I want to or am desperate to leave, but I like things to be clear and a year ago I made my position to the club clear.”
He also revealed how he intends to ignore please from friend and club captain Steven Gerrard to stay at the club in order to achieve his dream of playing in Europe’s most elite cup competition.
“Gerrard has a lot of history with Liverpool and his words are very important but everyone should understand that I need to play the Champions League to keep growing as a footballer,” added Suarez.
“Now I have the chance, I want to take it.
“A Champions League team (Arsenal) is making a big effort to get me and one always wants to be where they feel comfortable.”
With Arsenal and Liverpool seemingly at a stalemate, Real Madrid have also been credited with an interest and could look to go for him if a bid for Tottenham’s Gareth Bale falls through.
“There were a lot of rumours (about Real) that were different to reality: Madrid never called me personally or Liverpool to try and negotiate,” continued Suarez.
“Every player aspires to reach the top and Real Madrid is among the most important clubs in the world. It would be very difficult to say no to Real Madrid.”