As soon as Luis Suarez made alleged comments about potentially leaving Liverpool to a Uruguayan newspaper, it really was only a matter of time before the ‘lost in translation’ defence was trotted out.
The Premier League’s leading scorer sparked fears amongst Liverpool fans that he may leave the club in the near future when he allegedly told a Uruguayan newspaper that he would consider offers from clubs competing in the Champions League.
“If another team comes around with more prospects of competing in international club competition games, which is willing to have me, they are welcome. We would talk to the club, we would see if I want to go, if I don’t want to go,” Suarez said in quotes picked up by the Liverpool Echo (to read what he is alleged to have said in full, click here).
Liverpool were understandably quick to quell speculation that their striker might be on his way out of Anfield, with Chief Executive Ian Ayre telling BBC Radio 5 Live that he was ‘absolutely’ certain that Liverpool would retain a player who signed a new contract at the beginning of this season.
“There will always be instances, particularly leading up to the summer, where people are quoted or asked these questions,” he said.
Later he told BBC Breakfast: “We love Luis being at Liverpool, he loves being at Liverpool and we fully expect him to be at Liverpool next season.”
“He has a four-year contract. We hope he will see it through.”
“We have no desire to sell Luis. He is a fantastic player and a great contributor to our team. We have been honest with him and he has been honest with us and there will always be instances, particularly leading up to the summer, where people are quoted or asked these questions, but we are very pleased to have Luis and long may that continue.”
Ayre also went onto say that the Suarez’s comments “may have been a bit lost in translation” and in fairness to him, he wouldn’t be the first or he won’t be the last to come up with that explanation whenever controversial comments have been made by a Premier League player to a foreign language newspaper.
Ayre’s comments may help quell fears Liverpool fans might have over Suarez’s future at the club, but no doubt the player himself will be told to be a little more careful about what he says about his situation at the club in future.
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