adminSportsmail revealed earlier this week how the Gunners had reopened talks with Merseyside chiefs over an improved £35million bid.
But the Anfield club have made it clear that even that will not be enough to persuade them to part with their prized-asset. In fact, Wenger wenger on Thursday night finally agreed to make a £40million offer for Suarez — only to be told Liverpool now want £55m. Arsenal boss Wenger was ready to match the Reds’ original asking price after his £30m bid was KO’d.
But Kop chief Brendan Rodgers said: “When you consider Edinson Cavani has gone for £55m, Luis is up there in that bracket of top talent.
“Arsenal’s was an offer we didn’t deem worthy of the talent.
“There’s no guarantee Luis would be sold even for that because we are trying to build something — we don’t have to sell. We’re prepared to spend and get people in without having to sell him. The reality is we have had one offer. So there can be as much speculation as you like, there’s been nothing beyond that.”
Suarez’s Uruguay teammate Cavani joined Paris Saint-Germain from Napoli on Tuesday.
And Rodgers’ tough talk will leave Arsenal worried that they could miss out on all of their top transfer targets.
Wenger, in Japan on the Gunners’ Asia trip, will face a huge backlash from fans if he fails to deliver one of Suarez, Wayne Rooney or Gonzalo Higuain.
Rodgers, speaking from Indonesia as the Anfield outfit tour Australia and the Far East, added: “Liverpool are one of the giants of the world.
“There is massive competition and we don’t want to be selling players — we want to keep our best ones here.” An offer of £40million will test a clause in Suarez’s contract that could make-or-break his intention to quit Anfield this summer.
Suarez’s agent, Pere Guardiola, argues that the sum triggers a release clause and Liverpool have conceded they would have to listen. The bid would represent a hugely decisive move from the Gunners hierarchy as they look to land one of their three main targets. Along with Suarez, Wenger also has a concrete interest in Higuain and Rooney.
Liverpool manager Rodgers believes Suarez owes it to his teammates – and the club’s fans – to stay at Anfield.
“It’s not about me or the club, I think it’s the supporters and his teammates for what they gave him,” Rodgers told the Liverpool Echo.
He added: “They have stood by him through thick and thin, and through all the traumas he has gone through over the last couple of seasons.
“If there is anyone he owes it’s them and his teammates, who have fought beside him, certainly not me.”
But there is a sense within the London club that they have to make significant moves in the transfer market in the next few days or risk the embarrassing prospect of missing out on all three targets.
Having made the public declaration that Arsenal are now in a financial position to compete with Europe’s big players in the transfer market, missing out on the stellar signing supporters so desperately crave would be a PR nightmare for the club. A deal worth up to £150 000-per-week for Higuain has been agreed in principle with the Argentina international’s advisors — but Real Madrid continue to move the goalposts with regards to how much the striker would cost.
Even more worryingly for the Gunners, reports in Madrid claim Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho is ready to throw his hat into the ring to sign Higuain — who is also a target for Napoli.
Similarly, Mourinho seems to be in pole position to land Rooney from Manchester United — leaving Wenger with the very real prospect of losing out on his three priority targets. — Mailonline-The Sun.
Online Reporter