Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher says Liverpool will not be able to keep hold of Luis Suarez forever, amid speculation that the Uruguayan international is unhappy and wants out of English football.
Carragher, speaking as a pundit for his new employers Sky Sports, said Suarez must not feel he owes something to the club for supporting him through controversial incidents.
The 35-year-old former England international pointed out that the Reds’ support of Suarez was purely down to him being a world-class footballer, not necessarily simply because he was a Liverpool player.
“Luis Suarez can’t stay at Liverpool forever just because they’ve supported him in certain situations,” he told Sky Sports News.
“Liverpool were right to support him because he’s their player but if he wasn’t a very good player and wasn’t producing on the pitch then Liverpool would sell him. Are they being loyal to a player if they sell him?”
Suarez is currently in action for Uruguay in the Confederations Cup.
Reports this summer have suggested Suarez is looking for a way out of Anfield, with his eye on a move to Real Madrid.
However, the Reds are thought to have told him to hand in an official transfer request if he wants to leave Merseyside, forcing him to forfeit a £1million loyalty bonus in his contract.
Carragher continued, “I don’t think Luis can be held to the club forever because they’ve stood by him in certain situations. You could argue that after the racism situation with Evra then he stayed last year because I’m sure he would have had offers last summer.
“I think loyalty in football, from both sides, is overplayed a bit. Basically Liverpool are loyal to Luis Suarez because he’s such a good player and Luis has got to think of his own career and what he wants to achieve.
“I don’t think that should really come into it or cloud people’s judgments of what Luis should do.”
Fan Comments