Luis Suarez is not going to Real Madrid, Liverpool say

Liverpool: Liverpool will resist Real Madrid’s attempts to lure Luis Suarez away from Anfield this summer with confusion growing over the Uruguayan’s commitment to the Merseyside club.

Suarez said in Uruguay on Wednesday that it would be “difficult to say no to Madrid” after claiming that his family had suffered as a result of the controversy generated by his on-field behaviour for Liverpool this season.

However, on Thursday his representative, Pere Guardiola, insisted the player was “happy and will stay at Liverpool”.

Liverpool have rejected claims from the Spanish media that a £40 million deal for Suarez has been struck with Real. The Uruguayan signed a four-year contract at Anfield 12 months ago and Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has been given the backing of the club’s American owners to reject any offers over the summer. However Florentino Perez, the Real president who is seeking re-election at the Bernabeu, confirmed his club’s interest in the 26-year-old to Spanish newspaper Marca.

“Suarez is a great player and I am sure all [clubs] in the world would want him,” Perez said. “I like him and others too, but it does not always fit.” Suarez continues to stress his happiness at Liverpool and has blamed the discontent he feels on criticism in the English media, particularly following the biting incident involving Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic. “My family have suffered and things got out of hand,” Suarez said.

“My daughter and my wife have suffered. I’m not prepared to continue to put up with the English press. I love Liverpool, but if there is a chance of playing somewhere else… the English press haven’t appreciated me as a player. I’ve talked to Brendan Rodgers and he knows what I want.”

Real’s interest in Suarez is complicated by the club’s determination to sign Gareth Bale from Tottenham, with a move for Napoli’s Edinson Cavani also likely. Perez is said to be attempting to persuade Cristiano Ronaldo to sign a new £400,000-a-week contract. On Thursday, he told a Spanish radio sports show that he would not sell the Portuguese striker “even for €1,000 million”.