Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has spoken out about his club’s transfer bids for Liverpool striker Luis Suarez, and the Frenchman has admitted that he did not want to wind up the Anfield club.
The Gunners made two formal bids for the Uruguayan in the Summer and the second one was the one that stole all the headlines.
Knowing that he had a clause in his contract, which was £40,000,000, Wenger and co. offered Liverpool £40,000,001, but despite the clause, Liverpool still rejected the bid and didn’t allow Suarez to have a say in the offer.
With the two coming to blows later on today, Wenger has admitted that their transfer offer was clumsy and they didn’t mean to offend the Merseyside club.
‘It was not the most subtle thing we have done but it was not meant to be provocative at all. It could be interpreted like that but it was not our purpose.
‘Relations are good — we kept in touch over that period. I don’t want to dwell on that situation. It was one of the transfers that didn’t work and in every club you have two or three like that. Life is about opportunities that you miss, some that you take.
‘He is doing very well, but what is important for me is the players who play for Arsenal, not those who could play for Arsenal.
‘What is very important in this match are the players who play against Luis Suarez. We have a squad that is good enough to beat Liverpool and that is what we want to show and focus on.’
Written by Alex Batt – @AlexBatt
