Liverpool in control of Suarez situation: Rodgers

Coach Brendan Rodgers has stated that Liverpool are in complete control of the situation regarding Luiz Suarez and it is up to the club to decide if the volatile Uruguayan striker will be sold.

In several recent interviews in his homeland, the 26-year-old has repeated a desire to leave the Premier League club and play in Spain, blaming the British media for making his life impossible in England.

Liverpool have insisted that the talismanic striker, who was last season's second top scorer in the Premier League with 23 goals, was not for sale.

"It's quite simple, the club is in complete control of the situation," Rodgers told the Talksport radio station on Saturday when asked about Suarez, who is currently on international duty at the Confederations Cup in Brazil.

"I will always listen to players. I always work closely with players and always listen to their point of view but the biggest word is with the club," Rodgers added.

"We're in a situation where we've got a player who we don't want to lose. We're trying to build something here and he's a very important part of that and because of the type of player he is, he will always give his best."

Suarez, who signed from Ajax Amsterdam in January 2011, received a 10-match English domestic ban for biting Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic towards the end of last season.

His eight-game suspension the previous season for racial abuse has meant that stellar performances for Liverpool have been offset by a barrage of criticism in the media for his regular misdemeanours.

"Sometimes interviews get put out there and highlighted but parts of Luis's interviews have been about how much he loves Liverpool, but of course that doesn't get highlighted," Rodgers added.

"It's something that happens. I'm quite relaxed about it.

"What I know is that the support Luis has had from the people here in Liverpool, the city and the football club, has been phenomenal and I know he feels that and respects that."

Rodgers added that midfielder Steven Gerrard was making good progress from last month's shoulder surgery and the Liverpool captain would be ready to train with the club at the beginning of the season.

Image: Luiz Suarez

Photograph: Phil Noble/Reuters