5 Reasons Why Luis Suarez Remains Vital to Liverpool After Apology

Liverpool striker Luis Suarez is reported to have returned to training with the first team ahead of the start of the new Premier League season, after talks with manager Brendan Rodgers.

Ben Smith of BBC Sport reports that both forward and boss held talks following the player's return from international duty with Uruguay, and was once again integrated into the group session having been training on his own for a week.

Rodgers had stated that Suarez would train alone until he apologised for his comments and interviews given regarding wanting to leave the club, with Liverpool stating that he was not for sale.

Despite returning to training, Suarez will not play for Liverpool in their season opener against Stoke City as he continues to serve out the remainder of his 10-match suspension, which has six games yet to run.

When he is once more available though, despite everything that has gone on this summer, there is little doubt that if he returns to Liverpool's first team, Suarez will once again play a pivotal part in shaping the team's fortunes.

Suarez Remains the Best Quality Proven Player in the Liverpool Squad

In terms of pure technical ability and the potential to win games for his team, Liverpool's best right now is still Luis Suarez.

Steven Gerrard and Philippe Coutinho will win points this season, no question, but on a week-to-week basis over the past couple of seasons it has been Suarez who the team, manager and fans look to to help fashion enough chances to score goals and win games.

In a bigger variety of in-game situations than arguably any of his team mates, Suarez can come out the victor against any opponent, and he's also capable of the entirely unexpected and improbable.

In short, Suarez remains Liverpool's go-to man for being a cut above the rest.

Despite Recent Issues, He Remains a Massive Fan Favourite

His interviews have provided an unwelcome backdrop to the summer, but for confirmation of just how highly Luis Suarez is regarded by Liverpool fans, just look to the ovations and cheers he received in Steven Gerrard's testimonial and on tour in Asia.

While some will understandably have become fed up with his antics in trying to engineer a move away from Liverpool, the majority will realise that Liverpool simply don't have anybody as good as Suarez, and if he's back in the team and back in form, they'll continue to back him.

Will he now ever leave Anfield an untainted hero? Possibly not. But Suarez is still one of the most popular names bought on replica shirts, his Just Can't Get Enough song will still ring out around Anfield and, if and when he makes his return to the team, his entrance will be cheered by the fans.

His Fit into the Brendan Rodgers Plan of Attack

Rodgers has alluded to building his Liverpool team last season around Luis Suarez, allowing the Uruguayan to flourish as he lead the attack.

It's not entirely clear where he fits right now into Liverpool's preferred XI, with a total of five transfers in the final third of the pitch this summer altering the Reds' options considerably, but Suarez will still have a big on-pitch role to play.

It seems as though Suarez could operate from the right side of attack, interchanging frequently with Daniel Sturridge as the main striker, with Philippe Coutinho in the No. 10 role and a new name coming in on the left side of the attack.

Suarez can play in all four roles, and probably will do over the course of the season, and he will have a big impact wherever he gets game time.

Capable of Being Top Scorer Again

Up until his season-ending suspension at the end of last season, Suarez was in pole position to land the Golden Boot award for the top scorer of the Premier League. He ended up in second place with 23 league goals, three behind eventual winner Robin van Persie.

Other Reds forwards will be expected to contribute more frequently this term, but the hope for Brendan Rodgers must be that this does not come at the vast expense of Suarez's own strikes, instead adding to them.

If the forward keeps up his form—and stays free from further suspensions—then he'll have a chance at running close for the top scorer award once more. Even though he missed the first few games of the season, 15 league goals will be a minimum expectation from Suarez, and he's certainly capable of adding another half a dozen on top of that figure.

The Reds Have Protected Their Asset's Value and Can Still Cash in

The final reason Liverpool will see Suarez as vital to their future is that, if the Reds fail to land Champions League football for next season—and presumably therefore convince him to stay—they will surely have sent a message out that the forward will not be available on the cheap.

Regardless of which clubs want to sign the No. 7 next summer, before or after the World Cup—and there will be teams once again—Liverpool will know they are in a strong position to ask for top prices.

Most available top-class forwards have already moved on this summer, meaning there are less likely to be significant pickings at the top end of the market in a year's time. Suarez has also been valued this summer at at least £50 million, so another good season's worth of goals could add yet further figures to that total.

The Reds have kept Suarez in check so far, have protected themselves on the pitch by keeping their star man, and have now also, importantly, safeguarded what is likely to be a club record fee in a year's time if the worst comes to the worst and they are required to cash in.

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