Brendan Rodgers has said he is confident Luis Suarez will sign a contract extension at Liverpool as the striker is enjoying “the happiest point” of his professional career.
Liverpool’s managing director, Ian Ayre, met Suarez’s agent Pere Guardiola in Barcelona earlier this week to instigate talks over a new deal for the Uruguay international, who has two and a half years remaining on his contract.
Rodgers refused to provide an update on the negotiations.
Private
"There is nothing to report. Anything contractual with players is private," he said. But the Liverpool manager did express a belief the Premier League's leading goalscorer will prolong an Anfield career he wanted to end in search of Champions League football only four months ago.
“I’ve got every confidence that will be the case,” said Rodgers. “I speak to all the players and I think they’re happy here. Luis and I talk about the present. We speak about the improvements in his game and how he can become better in the future. I don’t think there’s any doubt he feels he’s progressed here as a player.
“No matter how good you are and whether you’re 26 or 32, like Steven Gerrard was when I came in here, if you want to become a better player and feel you are improving and see the club progressing, then you are happy. And at this moment I don’t think he can be any happier. I think he is at the happiest point he has been.”
Suarez has scored a remarkable 17 goals in 11 league matches since returning from suspension on September 25th and was named captain for Liverpool’s 5-0 destruction of Tottenham on Sunday. Rodgers insisted he had no reservations about giving such a role to a player with a chequered history.
He added: “We all make mistakes but I would hate to think you would be punished for a lifetime for it. This is a guy that has made a mistake but has shown he is a learner. He is a great player, a good man and in Steven’s absence and with Daniel Agger out of the team I could not think of anyone better [for the captaincy].”
Arsenal’s midfielder Jack Wilshere must serve a two-match ban after he admitted a misconduct charge over an offensive hand gesture he made towards Manchester City fans, the Football Association in England has confirmed.
Arsenal submitted mitigating circumstances, arguing the length of the punishment was excessive, but those submissions were rejected and so Wilshere will now miss the visit of Chelsea on Monday and the St Stephen’s Day trip to West Ham.
