Arsenal Transfer News: Luis Suarez Agent Opens Up on Liverpool, Gunners Rumours

Pere Guardiola, the agent of Barcelona striker Luis Suarez, has admitted the former Liverpool striker's potential 2013 move to Arsenal produced the "most uncomfortable" time in his career alongside the player.

Suarez was the subject of a notorious £40 million-plus-one bid from the Gunners, who looked to take advantage of a supposed clause in the player's contract. Guardiola suggested to FourFourTwo the lack of privacy in the matter strained his relationship with the Uruguayan hitman (h/t Ben Burrows of the Mirror):

"

This was my most uncomfortable time with Luis. Especially for me and our relationship. Because of the confusion, because of what we’d already agreed with the club, because situations change and force you to do things that make you uncomfortable.

It was complicated, and Luis had to train separately from the team. Everything was played out in the press.

"

Clint Hughes/Associated Press

Guardiola, brother of Barca legend Pep, says the Blaugrana is "the club [Suarez] loves," per Burrows. "The possibility of playing for a club like this comes around very rarely and you have to take advantage of it."

In his book, Luis Suarez, My Story: Crossing the Line, Suarez thanked Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard for talking him out of moving to Arsenal, per Sunni Upal of the MailOnline, writing, "It would have been a big error that I would have made had it not been for Steven Gerrard." 

Suarez provided further details in the book.

"(Gerrard) had told me to play well for Liverpool, give it another year and it will be Bayern Munich, Real Madrid or Barcelona coming for you and then you can go where you want, because you have the quality to play at any of those three clubs," he said.

Jon Super/Associated Press

Suarez posted a stunning 31-goal Premier League season after Arsenal's bid was turned down, taking Liverpool to within two points of their first title since this format of the division was established. He thrived alongside Daniel Sturridge, forming the so-called "SAS," but he subsequently departed after biting Italian centre-back Giorgio Chiellini during the 2014 World Cup.

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers failed to suitably replace Suarez in the summer, bringing in misfiring strikers Rickie Lambert and Mario Balotelli. As such, the Reds are currently seven points adrift of fourth-place Manchester City, who have played an extra game.

Manu Fernandez/Associated Press

Champions League qualification is going to be extremely tricky and means Liverpool's closest rivals need to lose at least two of their five remaining matches (presuming Rodgers' men go unbeaten).

Arsenal fans will see Suarez flourishing at Barcelona and wonder what might have been. He took a couple of months to hit lethal goalscoring form, but the 28-year-old has now tallied 17 strikes and 10 assists in 30 matches across La Liga and the UEFA Champions League, per WhoScored.com.

Squawka highlighted his thriving relationship with Lionel Messi and Neymar:

Gunners fans will point toward the recent form of Olivier Giroud when talk of the failed Suarez bid arises. He remains a class below the dynamic striker, however, and is yet to impact a full Premier League season like Suarez managed last year.

B/R UK's Ryan Bailey and Jonathan Johnson recently compared the two:

Suarez looks on course to help Barca secure major silverware in his first season. Luis Enrique's men are top of La Liga, in the Copa del Rey final and have secured a Champions League semi-final berth. It's unlikely he would have experienced such instant success at Arsenal.

While Suarez and his agent have worked through some tough times together, things look to be improving by the week.