Why Liverpool Shouldn't Resist a Potential Madrid Offer for Luis Suarez

All of a sudden Liverpool might find it harder than they think to rid themselves of Luis Suarez.

The controversial striker, who will continue to serve out a 10-match ban for biting Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic should he remain at Anfield, has so far generated only the odd bit of transfer speculation, with a formal bid for his signature yet to arrive on Brendan Rodgers' desk.

But the Liverpool manager will almost certainly do whatever he can to offload the Uruguayan, without whom his side took 10 of a possible 12 points while outscoring their opponents a combined 10-1 to close out the Premier League season.

Interest in Suarez at Bayern Munich seems to have died down, while Juventus appear to be looking elsewhere as they address their needs up front.

Real Madrid, however, remains an option for the 26-year-old, who scored 30 goals in all competitions in 2012-13.

The Meringues, who will finish second in La Liga to Barcelona and lost last weekend’s Copa del Rey final to local rivals Atletico Madrid, are desperate for attacking reinforcements and, according to Marca, will consider bidding for Suarez in the next few weeks.

And while Liverpool are likely to want upwards of €40 million for their top scorer, the baggage he brings with him will only hamper their leverage in the transfer market, which is why Liverpool would be wise to take whatever they can get for a player they paid €26.5 million for in 2011.

So far Rodgers has insisted Liverpool are intent on keeping Suarez at the club, but as everyone knows the exact opposite is most likely the case he has to pick his words carefully in order to maximize any potential fee.

“People will want to take him, but I think we all recognize how integral he is,” the Northern Irishman was quoted as saying in the Marca report. “The owners have been absolutely unequivocal in their resolve in terms of wanting to keep him.”

That’s rather doubtful.

Club owner John W. Henry is extremely conscious of Liverpool’s brand value, and he’ll surely understand the magnitude of the damage Suarez has done to that brand the last two seasons, whether by racially abusing Patrice Evra, biting Ivanovic or developing the reputation as a diver.

But he’s not the only one aware of his player’s troublesome pattern of behaviour. Which is why he’d do well to entertain any offer that comes in from Suarez, whether from Real Madrid or anyone else.