adminLONDON. — Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers said yesterday that he will not talk about Luis Suarez until the unsettled striker is available to play after weeks of speculation about his future. Arsenal have had two transfer bids for the Uruguay international rejected and Suarez has been forced to train on his own by Rodgers after he went public about his desire to leave. Liverpool’s principal owner John W Henry has declared that Suarez will not be allowed to leave the club, while captain Steven Gerrard has urged him to stay.
Suarez will miss the first six games of the new season as he completes a 10-game suspension for biting Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic in April, and Rodgers says he does not want to discuss the 26-year-old until he returns at the end of September.
“From our perspective, there is a standpoint from the club and myself that has not changed,” said Rodgers.
“What I want to concentrate on is the players that are available for this weekend so I won’t be speaking any more about Luis Suarez until he is available.
“My only concentration is the players who are available and, from the first day they came back, they’ve had a real hard pre-season.
“Purely out of respect to them and the work which has been going on, I only want to talk about them.” Liverpool open their 2013-14 Premier League campaign at home to Stoke City tomorrow.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid defender Pepe remains Manchester City’s leading defensive target — and City officials are hoping to conclude a deal ahead of the club’s opening game of the Premier League season at home to Newcastle United on Monday evening. — AFP/Mailonline.
Online Reporter