Luis Suarez: Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers quiet on striker
- Published
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers says he will not be making any more public comments over the future of striker Luis Suarez.
Suarez, 26, has been the subject of two bids from Arsenal and has publicly spoken of his desire to move to a club in the Champions League.
But Liverpool have insisted throughout the summer that he will not be sold.
"I won't be speaking any more about Luis Suarez until he is available [again from suspension]," Rodgers said.
"What I want to concentrate on is the players that are available for this weekend."
Suarez is banned for the first six games of the league season after being given a 10-match ban in April for biting Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic.
The striker is due back at the club on Friday following international duty.
While with the national team Suarez was reported to have told a Uruguayan newspaper that he would now stay at Liverpool because of "all of the people's affection".
The quotes originated from a journalist who has close links to the player and the El Observador newspaper also said Suarez may sign a new contract. However Suarez has not contacted Liverpool about a change of heart and is due back at the club on Friday.
Liverpool had urged the striker to accept the fact that he will not be sold.
The player was angered when Liverpool rejected Arsenal's bid of £40m and one pound, which was designed to trigger a release clause. He believes Liverpool had failed to honour a verbal agreement by turning down the offer - and outlined his frustrations last week in interviews with two national newspapers.
But that appeared to harden Liverpool's stance, with owner John W Henry saying Suarez would not be sold to any club.
Rodgers ordered Suarez to train alone and said the Uruguayan needed to apologise for his conduct.
Ahead of Liverpool's season opener against Stoke at Anfield, Rodgers said: "There has been so much written about Luis and said over the last few months.
"From our perspective there is a standpoint from the club and myself that has not changed.
"What I want to concentrate on is the players that are available for this weekend.
Purely out of respect to them and the work which has been going on, I only want to talk about them."
Suarez, who joined Liverpool from Ajax for £22.7m in January 2011, scored 30 goals in 44 appearances for Liverpool last season.
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