Brendan Rodgers

[kingfunk]

Very disheartening.

[Tee]

Very disheartening.

And disappointing, if true obviously.

[Bender]

@MrBoywunder: BR: "It's the owners' money and they will always have the final say because it's they who run the club."

[Phoenix07]

If you can't read the Guardian article:

http://www.theguardian.com/football/...rez?CMP=twt_gu

Brendan Rodgers has said Liverpool are prepared for a Real Madrid bid for Luis Suárez but has reiterated John W Henry's claim that the striker will not be sold.

Liverpool's principal owner stated a fortnight ago that the club would not entertain any offers from Arsenal or a European team for the Uruguay international and none have been received since. But with Arsenal switching their focus from Suárez to Real's Karim Benzema, and the Spanish club holding a long-standing interest in the Liverpool striker, Rodgers is anticipating a belated approach from Real, who are also close to agreeing a world record £86m deal for Tottenham's Gareth Bale.

Real have always been Suárez's preferred destination and relations with Rodgers were strained when he accused the Liverpool manager of breaking promises over his future in a Guardian interview. But having missed out on a major summer signing for the third time this week, and confirming that Liverpool's pursuit of Willian collapsed for financial reasons, Rodgers says the club cannot accept any late moves for Suárez.

Asked if he expected Real to formalise their interest with an offer before the transfer window deadline of 2 September, the Liverpool manager said: "I'm sure there will be plenty of activity in these last number of days. It is what it is and we will deal with it like we have during the summer.

"It's very difficult at this time (for a Suárez bid to succeed). We are trying to get one or two more quality players in through the door. If we lose Luis at this stage it would be difficult to replace him. There might have been a point a few months ago where there was time to do it but with 11 days to go it would be difficult to replace him."

Arsène Wenger said his pursuit of the Liverpool striker had ended following Arsenal's win over Fenerbahce in the Champions League play-off on Wednesday. With the club's move for Manchester United's Wayne Rooney also looking impossible, he has turned his attention back towards long-time target Benzema.

Ironically, Suárez could hold the key to Arsenal's hopes after they failed with bids of £35m and £40,000,001 for the 26-year-old. Real would not sell their only senior No9, having already moved Gonzalo Higuaín to Napoli, unless they could sign a big-name replacement and Arsenal hope that Real could yet take Suárez, despite Liverpool's insistence that they will not sell.

Benzema, though, is a favourite of the Real president Florentino Peréz and it is unclear whether he would fancy a move to Arsenal. The London club have struggled thus far for a high-level transfer breakthrough, having found that they need others to do business in order to unlock the stalemate.

Liverpool have endured similar frustration this summer and Rodgers did not hide his disappointment after the club failed to land Willian from Anzhi Makhachkala. The Brazil midfielder's future is unresolved, with Chelsea making a late play for the Tottenham Hotspur target. Willian is understood to have had a medical at Spurs on Tuesday but there is anxiety at White Hart Lane that he may be slipping through their fingers.

Liverpool's interest is over after Fenway Sports Group refused to pay above their valuation of the 25-year-old. The Anfield club were close to a £30m deal at the weekend only for an improved package from Spurs to prompt the owners to withdraw.

Rodgers said: "We identify the targets and then try and get the deal done financially. That's how it was. The club pushed as hard as they felt they could financially but it wasn't to be. "It's the owners' money and they will always have the final say because it's they who run the club. What they have taken on here is a huge job. You have seen over the last few years they will finance a project we are trying to develop and what we have to make sure of is we get the right players and the value and worth of the player is right. It's disappointing because this was a player who would have been perfect for us."

The Liverpool manager added: "It wasn't a football reason [why the deal collapsed] and I don't really want to go into it. That's for us as a club really. The bottom line is he hasn't come here for whatever reason and we move on."
Rodgers said only a week ago that Champions League qualification was a realistic demand of Liverpool but, should Spurs strengthen with Willian and others, he concedes the task will become even more complicated.

"The challenge is the same. This week hasn't changed it. What it has done is reinforced the clubs that are already in there," he said.

"Chelsea have won the Champions League and spent millions upon millions, Tottenham could spend up to 90-odd million and they are outside the Champions League, chasing players that we are trying to buy too. For us it is a huge, huge challenge, there's no doubt about that. But I don't want to be defeatist. We can't accept that. There's no doubt quality will cost you money. We just have to try to ensure we can get quality through the door and that will give us a chance for fourth. But make no mistake about it, it's a big ask and a big challenge."

[kingfunk]

@SachinNakrani: More significant for me in @AHunterGuardian Suarez story is what Rodgers said about the Willian deal...

@SachinNakrani: ...confirmed FSG were not prepared to financially push through deal. And boss is clearly not happy.

[john316]

If Chelsea have outbid Spurs, then the whole thing is irrelevant as he would have spurred us anyway.

[kingfunk]

It could have been done and dusted before that.

[~LFCHistory~]

If Chelsea have outbid Spurs, then the whole thing is irrelevant as he would have spurred us anyway.

True but if BR's latest quotes are real then then the issue seems to be that FSG weren't prepared to pay the necessary money for whatever reason which is a worry, tbf we don't know the whole story so probably best to just wait and see.

[G]

Yeah ****e journalism again there the real story is definitely his quotes on willian not Suarez.

[marcus50bucks]

True but if BR's latest quotes are real then then the issue seems to be that FSG weren't prepared to pay the necessary money for whatever reason which is a worry, tbf we don't know the whole story so probably best to just wait and see.

[john316]

That sort of thinking led Leeds United to financial oblivion. David O'Leary went to Ridsdale and Co and they kept backing him for every player he wanted. Led to oblivion once it went wrong. No problem with a committee of people arguing what a player is worth rather than relying on a single man.

[topscorer]

True but if BR's latest quotes are real then then the issue seems to be that FSG weren't prepared to pay the necessary money for whatever reason which is a worry, tbf we don't know the whole story so probably best to just wait and see.

I just listened to the interview, admittedly I kept getting interrupted by the kids, and I don't remember hearing BR say we lost the deal because FAG wouldn't pay up the asking price. Considering we've made a profit so far in transfers this summer it would be troubling if they weren't willing to push the boat to get a marquee signing that BR wanted.

I don't know what other transfer plans and target we have but I do think we need a marquee signing to show intent, however not at the expense of getting quality signings like Sturridge and Coutinho. I'd much rather see three more signings like that than one marquee signing.

[MrMichael]

It would worry me if there was unanimous acceptance that Willian is worth that sort of money. I don't at all think there is though. From Rodgers' perspective he wanted the player so he's diappointed and that's fair enough, but if the valuation was so much higher than our (rather substantial) approach then I can understand the plug getting pulled.

Its a fair point that there is a fine line between prudence and over caution, but just because the signing hasn't come off in this case doesn't necessarily mean we were being the latter rather than the former does it?

[topscorer]

Besides anything else we don't even know if he would have chosen us anyway. He isn't exactly showing any preference to any club that's chasing him. He's playing his cards very close to his chest so maybe he's a little bit too mercenary to be the type of character we should chase anyway.

[Leyton388]

I think the Carroll, downing transfer's have taught FSG a valuable lesson.