Anfield Road

NEWS this week that Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has told Luis Suarez he must train on his own should delight Reds fans, for it seems this ridiculous transfer saga is finally coming to a conclusion.

Suarez has made his intentions clear about wanting to leave Anfield and reports in the online betting news over any possible transfer have gone on long enough. Arsenal, who usually don’t go public with any transfer activity (on the rare occasion they actually have any!) made sure everyone knew they want Suarez and that the player wants to leave, in doing so trying to force Rodgers hand.

Well, the stern Northern Irishman isn’t budging and Reds fans worried Suarez is about to leave shouldn’t be concerned. Of course, the striker will depart the club this summer but under Rodgers plans. Don’t fear Reds fans, because Rodgers, playing hardball, will receive a huge fee for the striker.

Liverpool are playing the same game they did with Chelsea when the London club were courting Fernando Torres. As the January 2011 transfer deadline loomed, Chelsea got frantic and upped their bid from £35m to £50m. Granted, it didn’t leave us with much time to find a replacement but we’ve learned from that lesson here.

Just look at the players Rodgers has already signed this summer. Iago Aspas and Luis Alberto are two exciting arrivals that play football on the ground and have eyes for goal. They may not be direct replacements for Suarez – let’s face it, few players are – but this pair leaves Rodgers’ squad in a far more stable position than Kenny Dalglish faced when Torres jumped ship.

As we approach the transfer deadline we can expect more rumours to fly without any deal been done. Rodgers will wait until both Arsenal and, if they don’t get Gareth Bale, Real Madrid are desperate before laying down his terms. Football betting fans should expect £45m at least for Suarez, which may also include players, and you can be assured Rodgers has a man lined up to replace the front man.