Arsenal Transfer News: Bid for Luis Suarez Rejected by Liverpool

Arsenal put in a bid for polarizing Liverpool striker Luis Suarez sometime last week, but the offer was quickly turned down by the Reds. 

The news comes courtesy of The Daily Telegraph's Chris Bascombe:

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In one of the most audacious moves of the summer so far, Arsenal representatives made a direct approach to the Merseyside club for Suárez last week and were immediately rebuffed.

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Liverpool insist that the South American is not for sale, and the Arsenal valuation – believed to be less than the £35 million fee Merseyside club paid for Andy Carroll two years ago – has taken many by surprise.

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Surprise indeed. 

Arsenal has been in the market for a talented goalscoring threat this summer, but the name at the top of Arsene Wenger's list for the last month wasn't believed to be Suarez. The 26-year-old Uruguayan has said, per ESPN FC, that it is the English media that would drive him away from Anfield—not Liverpool. 

Instead, the name atop Wenger's list had supposedly been Real Madrid's Gonzalo Higuain.

Moreover, this isn't exactly Wenger's style. Although the Gunners have money to spend this summer, the longtime Arsenal manager is known for his business-like approach—developing young talent instead of overpaying—to the transfer market. 

Offers of £30 million, per The Times, don't usually come flying out of the Gunners camp. 

Nevertheless, it doesn't matter for now. Liverpool reportedly want £50 million, so it doesn't appear the two EPL sides are all that close in talks as we near Suarez's July 22 "deadline."

Suarez has had his slew of thoughtless on-field mistakes, but he is still supremely talented. He scored 23 goals in 33 EPL starts last season and has proven himself to be a very dangerous striker.

It will be interesting to see if Arsenal, looking to end its trophyless streak, bucks the money-saving trend in pursuit of the Uruguayan international, or if it simply resets its sights on Higuain. 

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