Brendan Rodgers expects Luis Suarez to stay at Liverpool

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has reiterated that he expects Luis Suarez to stay with the club.

The Uruguayan striker was the subject of a £30m bid from Arsenal last week and has been a reported target for Real Madrid this summer.

The Reds' managing director Ian Ayre said this week that he wants to keep Suarez at Anfield, and Rodgers has echoed the sentiments.

Speaking to reporters in Jakarta, where the Reds are based for a pre-season tour,
Rodgers said: "Luis Suarez is a wonderful player and he is still very much a Liverpool player.

"Luis is a very important member of this squad and I am looking forward to working with him again this season after he had such a fantastic season.

"There has been lots of speculation about Luis moving to another club but, as I said, he is very much a Liverpool player."

Rodgers also said that Suarez, who scored 30 goals for the Reds last season, can help spearhead their attempts to get back into the Champions League next season.

"He has got three years left on his contract. We are looking forward to him helping us get into the Champions League spots," Rodgers added.

"That's a competition we are fighting to get into. The great name and history of Liverpool dictates it should be in that competition.

"It is difficult these days with the finance some clubs have but I believe that we will put up a great fight this season. Let's hope we can get back to where we belong."

Liverpool begin their Premier League campaign at home to Stoke City next month.