Liverpool Transfers: Why Luis Suarez Won't Leave Anfield This Summer

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Liverpool's star forward Luis Suarez put on another masterclass performance in the Reds' most recent game against Zenit St. Petersburg in the Europa League, leading to more predictable media chatter about a possible summer transfer away from Anfield.

With the financial capability on show from the teams reported to be interested, including Manchester City (via Telegraph), it would not be unreasonable to expect serious interest in Suarez at the end of the current season.

However, Liverpool fans should take comfort in knowing that there are several reasons why he won't be heading off this year, even if Liverpool have to go another season without Champions League football.

Suarez's Own Excellence in an Improving Liverpool Side

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Two goals against Zenit in the Europa League at Anfield took Luis Suarez to 25 in all competitions for the season for Liverpool.

He is the Premier League's second top scorer, has a strike rate of better than a goal every other game since signing for Liverpool (46 goals in 89 games) and is hailed by his club captain as one of the best in the world (via BBC).

There can be no doubting Luis Suarez's level of ability, and though the club as a whole certainly aren't up there to match him, the team has been improving.

Cup competitions have, ultimately, come to premature ends and a top-four challenge looks out of sight after too much inconsistency this season, but Liverpool are playing better, going through spells of games where the off the ball tactics look more assured and several others in the squad have improved their level of play considerably.

It all points to steady progression, with Suarez as the focal point and the target, in terms of both consistency and quality.

A Burgeoning Partnership with Daniel Sturridge

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Partnerships on a football field are not often automatically formed, without practice or thought, but Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge seem to have struck up an immediate rapport nonetheless.

Plenty more hard work and training must go into the team as a whole to get the best out of the duo, but they seem to feed off each other very well, allow each to play to their strengths and—best of all for Liverpool—are both scoring goals.

Between Suarez and Sturridge they have scored 10 goals in the seven games that both players have been on the pitch together in, and both have also contributed in the creation of goals too.

The partnership looks a natural fit, one that both players will be keen to keep working on and helping each other succeed in.

Off-Field Happiness

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Suarez has himself spoken about how settled his family are in Liverpool, and that they are in no rush to uproot themselves to move elsewhere.

A glimpse of the community that the club's players have between themselves could be seen in the BEING: Liverpool documentary earlier this season, and Suarez's family can frequently be seen at Anfield matches.

Suarez has, both at Ajax and at Liverpool, made a conscientious effort to integrate himself into the culture of the club and it is clear that as long as he and his family are made to feel happy and welcome in the city, from a non-sporting point of view, there is no particular reason why he would feel inclined to move on.

Repeated Statements Indicating His on-Field Happiness at LFC

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That takes care of off-pitch matters; what about on it?

Perhaps the forward himself can put those questions to rest (via LiverpoolFC.com):

When I hear ['You'll Never Walk Alone'] on the pitch or even in the dressing room it still gives me goosebumps. It is incredible and even more so in the stadium when the people become emotional and show their passion.

The world stops and everyone sings with their scarves up and it's such a feeling and such a motivation to play for this club. I'm very happy here and my family love the life here too. I want to enjoy being at this club where I, like all the kids, dreamed of playing and now I'm fulfilling that dream.

I'm very pleased and very happy because Liverpool is growing. It's not the team that it once was as they have had a dip. But now we have a new coach who has a philosophy of the game with which the players are very happy.

The only thing missing is to have more positive results so we can finish in a Champions League spot. We showed we can match anyone - we had chances to win many of those matches. If we go into every game in the Premier League with the same intensity that we've shown in the big matches we can be much higher in the table.

Nothing could be clearer: Suarez fully accepts and acknowledges, as all should, that Liverpool are not in their prime right now—but also that they are working hard toward getting back there.

There are fine margins between three points and one point from any given game, and a little more quality is needed for Liverpool to manage the former on a more regular basis.

But they are getting there. Especially with Suarez in such sublime form.

Can Anybody Doubt Luis Suarez's Commitment to the Liverpool Cause?

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One factor that has never been in question is Suarez's commitment to the club.

He works hard every match, has an innate need to win games and gets infuriated with himself, and others, when mistakes are made or opportunities missed.

The display of emotions from Suarez on show against Zenit served only to compound and confirm what Reds fans already knew: Liverpool's Uruguayan forward is desperate for success, for himself and for the team.

From raw energy and belief after scoring his second free kick of the night to the soul-wrenching disappointment of just missing out on an epic comeback, Suarez went through the same rollercoaster of emotions as every fan in the stadium and watching at home.

He is Liverpool's best player, he very likely knows it, and he looks certain to do everything in his power, for now at least, to help the club return to the top table of European football.

 

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