soccer : will suarez will make it to emirate stadium

Suarez and his advisers have spent the last few days

claiming they were permitted to talk to Arsenal after

the Gunner bid a solitary pound over £40m for the

striker, believing the fee had activated a release

clause in the unsettled 26-year-old’s Anfield

contract.

However, Liverpool have held firm in the belief they

do not have to sell their star asset and now Reds

skipper Gerrard has urged the forward, he describes

as “the best player I’ve played with”, to refocus on

helping his current employers target a Champions

League return next season.

“Luis is the best footballer I’ve ever played with and

alongside Gareth Bale, Luis is the third best player in

the world after Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo at

the m

oment,” says Gerrard in a Daily Telegraph

interview.

“When you’re in that position, you’re going to get all

kinds of teams wanting to pull you away, especially

when you are at a club not in the Champions

League.

“Knowing the guy as I do that’s probably the thing

on his mind: wanting to be in the Champions League

and I’d say to him: ‘Give it one more year, see if we

can achieve that’.”

Gerrard went on to echo the views of Liverpool

manager Brendan Rodgers and Anfield legend John

Aldridge by questioning why Suarez would want to

join Arsenal, as he offered a stout case for his club's

position.

“I don’t think Arsenal is a step up,” stressed Gerrard.

“Us, Arsenal and Tottenham are fighting for one of

the Champions League places. In an ideal scenario

we keep Suarez, make one or two more signings and

Tottenham lose Bale.

“I don’t want to disrespect Arsenal. They’re a

wonderful club with a manager who I’ve an awful

amount of respect for and they have talented

players throughout the team but so have we. We’ve

got just as good a chance of achieving things as

Arsenal have.

“We need that one exciting marquee signing who

can play in one of the attacking positions (working

with Suarez). That’s why we are talking along the

lines of keeping Luis because if the club lose Luis we

take a step backwards. He’s the best footballer I’ve

ever played with.

“Internationally, (Wayne) Rooney, (Paul) Scholes,

(Frank) Lampard are all top players. John Terry and

Rio Ferdinand at the back, all world-class footballers.

Suarez is on a different planet to most footballers.”

Gerrard’s Liverpool legend will be celebrated in a

testimonial match at Anfield this weekend, with the

£1 million proceeds from the game against

Olympiacos all being donated to charity.

“It’s gone in a blur,” reflects Gerrard of his lengthy

Liverpool career that started back in November

1998. “It’s been a journey full of highs and lows. I’ve

got loads of regrets with Liverpool: the Champions

League final in 2007, the 2012 FA Cup final against

Chelsea, an own goal against Chelsea in the 2005

Carling Cup final.

“But the bad memories help you strive for good

times. I’m totally proud of the career I’ve had so far.

“I cherish every moment. I know sooner rather than

later I’ll be sitting here, and my boots will be hung

up, and I won’t be going on a football pitch again. It

does scare me because I love it so much. I’m more

hungry now. I’ve got more of a buzz for this coming

season than I’ve had before. I realise there will not

be many left.”

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