Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Luis Suarez ups his ante to exit Liverpool

Uruguay v Italy: 3rd Place Match - FIFA Confederations Cup Brazil 2013

SALVADOR, BRAZIL - JUNE 30: Luis Suarez of Uruguay competes with Giorgio Chiellini of Italy during the FIFA Confederations Cup Brazil 2013 3rd Place match between Uruguay and Italy at Estadio Octavio Mangabeira (Arena Fonte Nova Salvador) on June 30, 2013 in Salvador, Brazil. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)

Getty Images

First, Luis Suarez didn’t want to leave Liverpool because he could no longer take the British media, saying they don’t treat him well and he "[doesn’t] feel comfortable here any more.”

Most took this as Suarez’ intent not only to leave Liverpool, but the Premier League as well.

But now that may not be the case with the Uruguayan claiming that his ambition is driving him to move to a more competitive club than Liverpool.

“I always want to improve,” Suarez said. “That’s why I left Ajax for Liverpool.”

One of Suarez’ new sticking points for a move is the opportunity to play in the Champions League. "[T]his club needs to fight to enter the Champions League and, when it doesn’t happen, it damages the morale of any player. So I’ve suffered.”

Suarez also noted his desire to compete domestically, saying, "[it] is hard to view the Premier League every week with never a chance of winning it.”

For Liverpool, these words will serve to infuriate.

Not only do the Reds have Champions League and domestic title ambitions, but the storied club has been nothing but supportive of the controversial striker, steadfastly backing him in everything from his 2011-12 race incident with Patrice Evra (which earned him an eight match ban) to his 2012-13 arm biting incident of Branislav Ivanovic (from which he’s currently serving a 10 match ban).

Up until this point, Liverpool have been staunch in their refusal to sell their star goal-scorer despite rampant transfer speculation.

So, will Suarez’ new soundbite be enough to force Liverpool to cut the cord and sell him?

It’s a tough call.

On one hand his talent is so extraordinary that he’s worth keeping, even in a disgruntled state. On the other hand, there comes a point where Liverpool has to save face, sell the nuisance and put this drama to bed.

Just don’t expect Liverpool - regardless of what Suarez hints at in his comments - to be so unlearned as to sell him to another Premier League club.