Luis Suarez Transfer - In The Arsenal-Liverpool Standoff, Real Madrid Hold All The Cards

The love/hate triangle between Liverpool FC, Luis Suarez and Arsenal FC is one which seems to have reached a confusing deadlock, but it may be Real Madrid whose next move may determine the outcome.

Suarez : Anywhere But Here

Luis Suarez: Gunning to join Arsenal because no one else came calling — Suarez: Gunning to join The Gunners because no one else came calling

Luis Suarezai??i??s desire to join Arsenal FC is something that is the butt of a lot of jokes in the English media these days. And itai??i??s easy to understand why. This whole game was started by him with claims that he had been treatedAi??unfairly by the English FA, by the English media, by the English public; well by all of England, pretty much. For him to now be pushing for a move to another English club simply confirms something most have known all along: Suarez wants a escape from Liverpool FC, not from the English media or FA.

The only reason why he angled for the English-are-anti-South-American conspiracy theory was because it was a convenient excuse when he thought Real Madrid would come calling to sweep him off his feet. Unfortunately, new manager Carlo Ancelotti has not made a formal approach.

Suarezai??i??s interest in Arsenal FC is somewhat difficult to swallow. Jumping ships for a club that is at best a marginally better performer makes little sense; except when you realise that Suarez has entered a ai???anywhere but hereai??? mind-set.

That Suarez has reached this state of mind is clearly visible from his body language in Liverpoolai??i??s pre-season friendlies. The droopy shoulders, the grudging refusal to let even a semblance of a smile touch his face, the almost shuffling walk he adopts when walking towards the manager: all point to a man who is clearly somewhere he absolutely does not want to be. To be clear, he has still given excellent performances in these matches, but that is something he knows he must do to keep his potential suitors calling. Recently, the murmurs from the media have all pointed to the potential of him fishing for a move to The Emirates.

Practically speaking, Liverpool FC for all their shortcomings have won 5 trophies since 2005. Arsenal have won one. The Gunners have fared better in the Premier League; they have a knack for sneaking in to the third and fourth place spots every season (8 years and running). So, Champions League football has been stated as a possible reason for a move out. But if Champions League football is what he seeks, it is still difficult to comprehend his near desperation to join a team that has been knocked out in the Round of 16 in the last three years running.

Sadly for him, he is probably not in as much demand as he probably believed at the beginning of June, when he started weaving his sob story. At the moment, he is gunning for a move to Arsenal, simply because no one else has come calling, and he wants to be anywhere but at Liverpool FC.

Arsenal: Old Habits Die Hard?

Arsene Wenger - Ready to splurge on Suarez? — Arsene Wenger – Will he splurge on a mercenary like Suarez?

Arsene Wenger wonai??i??t be as gung-ho about the deal as many feel, or rather how he would like people to feel. Heai??i??s not someone who has historically gone for the mercenary type players. He will know that, one season down the road, if Arsenal FC again gets knocked out of the Champions League in the Round of 16 and fail to finish above 4^th in the League, Suarez would instantly start whinging for a move to Real Madrid or Bayern Munich or, who knows, perhaps even Chelsea?

Add to this the fact that not only would this transfer involve the biggest transfer fee Arsenal FC have ever shelled out, it would also be an astronomical rise over the clubai??i??s current top wages. Suarez is rumored to want a A?200,000 a week deal, while till date Arsenalai??i??s wage cap (which, in fairness, Wenger seems willing to cast aside) has been A?100,000.

All in all, the signs speak of a transfer that is completely unlike anything Wenger has ever gone for. But perhaps that is the point, to show fans that he can change. The same fans who are currently frustrated at The Professorai??i??s latest statementAi??that he is in no rush for the transfers. He states that Arsenal can win the title with his current crop of players. Highly unlikely, Mr. Wenger.

Liverpool: Breakups Are Hard

Liverpool FC - Brendan Rodgers in a difficult position because of the Suarez-Arsenal saga — Brendan Rodgers: Between a rock and a hard place

Liverpool FC are in a fairly strong position. But they will get no joy from being in this position.

Practically speaking, there is a very strong possibility that the Anfield club will be able to retain Suarezai??i??s services should no one match their A?50M+ valuation of him. There is no confirmed buy-out clause in Suarezai??i??s contract; Arsenalai??i??s A?40M + A?1 bid only meant that Liverpool had to intimate the player about the interest. The same applies if the Uruguayan puts in a transfer request – something he has been avoiding because it will mean forgoing a loyalty bonus. Liverpool will cringe at the thought of losing their star player to a team that, along with Tottenham Hotspur, is their direct competition for the 4^th place League position.

But contractual technicalities aside, no one wants to see the kind of body language he has been displaying in their dressing rooms. A player who doesn’t want to play for a team can be like a tumor for morale: whatai??i??s the point of a goal if the scorer just sulks afterwardsAi???

The club needs Suarez, but the sad truth is that keeping him against his will is not a proper solution. Auction him, ship him off, bring in a player or two to cover up.

Real Madrid: What are they waiting for?

Carlo Ancelotti - Will Real Madrid bid for Luis Suarez? — Carlo Ancelotti: Can’t read my poker face

Real Madrid are the one player in this game of transfer poker who no one has been able to read. Everyone else has placed their bets are waiting for the game to proceed. Itai??i??s amusing how they seem to be ignoring the Uruguayan, even though it was their name he touted when he initially expressed his desire to leave.

New man Carlo Ancelotti is too experienced a manager to dive into a big transfer like this without first getting to know his current squad well. Also there are other variables to consider. Like (till recently) Gonzalo Higuain, who finally moved on to Napoli. Like Karim Benzema, whoai??i??s development could be threatened if Suarez joins the ranks. Like Gareth Bale, who the Spanish club are alleged to be gunning for with an astounding A?85M bid.

Wenger is willing to wait for a season or more, while Suarez is in a hurry to move on. Liverpool need to offload an unhappy star player to someone who can spend A?50M+ on him, and deep-pocketed Real Madrid have just lost Higuain and are in need of a world class goal-scorer. The stage seems set for Ancelotti to swoop in for the toothy Uruguayan and allow the English media to finally move on to a new topic. But if he instead nabs Bale and decides to ignore Suarez, Liverpool FC might just end up hanging on to their prized asset for a few more month. A situation which will, sadly, bring no one any great joy.

Luis Suarez Transfer – In The Arsenal-Liverpool Standoff, Real Madrid Hold All The Cards

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