Luis Suarez Would Be a Step in the Right Direction for Arsenal

Perhaps Luis Suarez is worth £42.5 million, as James Dickenson of the Express reported Arsenal was set to bid on Monday.

Perhaps he's not.

But shelling out money for a top star actually is a move in the right direction for Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger.

Wenger is in a bit of a transition period right now. For years, he has focused on developing young players that would fit the Arsenal model, while largely avoiding spending big money on some of the top players in the world. The only thing is, it hasn't quite worked out for the Gunners, as they haven't claimed the Premier League title since the 2003-04 season. 

The questions about Suarez are legitimate. When you actually bite an opponent, there can be concerns about how level-headed you are.

Of course, he's also one of the best strikers in the world in terms of skill, notching 23 goals and five assists in 33 starts for Liverpool last season. His campaign netted him a rating of 7.89 by WhoScored.com—it ranked sixth among all players in the EPL, Ligue 1, Bundesliga, Seria A and La Liga.

But throw away whether Suarez is worth such a bid. The fact of the matter is, Wenger is testing his own philosophy, and that not only should be commended, it should also be praised.

Praised? Praised? Arsene Wenger? I can hear the Arsenal fans now.

Yes, praised. It takes a lot for a man to go beyond his stringent scope of the world and accept other viewpoints. 

While I don't agree with spending all that money on Suarez, I do understand that a) Wenger is under a ridiculous amount of pressure this summer (perhaps deservedly so) and b) this would mark a step in the right direction for Arsenal.

Think about it, even if Suarez doesn't work out for the Gunners if they acquire him, perhaps this marks a shift for Wenger. Perhaps, even if Suarez doesn't live up to a lofty fee, Wenger will see that he has been going about it all wrong before. 

Now, that takes a strong man, especially if Suarez bites somebody or something next season (am I kidding? Am I?!), but if Wenger sticks to this blueprint, he will be giving Arsenal a better chance of capturing the EPL title. History under his tenure has taught this lesson.

If there is one thing I've learned about Wenger, it's that he does care. He may not be right sometimes (or most of the time), but he is committed to Arsenal. That in itself, combined with his changing philosophy, should give Gunners fans hope moving forward, especially if he lands Suarez.

So, maybe Arsenal's bid of £42.5 million is too much for Suarez, if you take into account his theatrics on the pitch. But it's a step in the right direction. Not only that, I feel Wenger's change in philosophy will deliver an EPL title earlier than imagined.

Interestingly enough, a hot-tempered, volatile player in Suarez may actually lead Wenger and Arsenal toward the promised land.

And, if it happened, how ironic would it be?

Life can be weird sometimes.