One of the longest-running transger sagas of the summer is still not over. Luis Suarez doesn’t seem to be very happy with still wearing the Liverpool red, while Arsenal and Arsene Wenger haven’t given up on signing the Uruguayan, planning on launching a third bid for the player, hoping it doesn’t get rejected.
After a £30 million offer that was rejected and a £40,000,001 offer that was mocked, Arsenal are now thinking about making a £42.5 million bid, even though Liverpool insist that there’s nothing to talk about before £50 million is what they see in the fax machine.
Arsenal have lost another battle for a player this week, as Gonzalo Higuain signed with Napoli. Despite everyone recognizing the fact that the gunners need a substantial upgrade in the striker position, all Wenger has managed to bring in so far has been Yaya Sanogo. All the players Arsenal have been linked to so far have joined other clubs, and Luis Suarez seems to be the last player remaining from their initial shortlist still available, and actually good enough to improve their strike-force.
Every season seems to fans like the last one for Wenger, unless he manages to pull Arsenal out of their third place – fourth place rut, which is defined by staying out of the title race more often than not and bowing down way too early in the Champions League, showing there’s a big gulf between them and European football’s elite teams.
Suarez wants that Champions League football, more than he wants to escape the trials of facing the English media, who has laid off him this summer, at least when it comes to his behavior, and have been busy speculating where he’ll end up at the end of the offseason.
Wenger needs a big signing, Arsenal need it to. After “saving” so much money in recent years on cheaper deals and going after less known names, it’s getting a little bit ridiculous. Arsenal executives and Wenger keep talking about belonging to the elite of European football and the Premier League, but the only thing they can compete in with other clubs is their ability to generate a profit.
After so many years of watching his best players leave for more money and a better chance of winning titles, Wenger has to change the equation and start signing big names. Suarez is possibly the only one left Arsenal still have a shot at, but that is only if Liverpool make the decision that keeping Suarez against his will and denying the club of a much needed fund injection is no longer their preferred course of action.
Does Wenger go at the end of this season if he doesn’t sign Suarez? Arsenal haven’t made a single move this offseason that makes it seem like they have a shot of looking much better than last year. Cohesion and continuity have their value, but only if there’s plenty of quality to continue with. Arsenal, unfortunately for Wenger, don’t carry over the kind of talent to battle for the title with Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea. Getting Suarez, or anyone of his caliber, seems integral enough for Arsenal to get desperate and spend money they actually can afford to.