While Gareth Bale seems to be inching closer towards Real Madrid (removal from twitter photo is a sign, right?), the transfer sagas involving Luis Suarez, trying to leave Liverpool for Arsenal, and Wayne Rooney, hoping to leave Manchester United for the greener pastures at Chelsea, are becoming the last thing we want to hear about each morning when we wake up.
And still, the conflicting versions and stories keep these people on the headlines. Unlike Rooney, Suarez has made his unhappiness and desires quite clear with the media. He wants to leave Liverpool to anyone willing to take him, as long as it is a team that will play in the Champions League.
But are Arsenal that much of an upgrade? With Luis Suarez, they might be title contenders. Without him, and sticking to their current team, they might not even be a top 4 team anymore. Liverpool with Suarez might be better, so is leaving to the Emirates, pretty much the only team willing to offer around £40 million for him, that much of a career upgrade?
The latest in the bag of tricks for Suarez and his agents is taking legal action. Arsenal made an offer of £40 million, but there’s a dispute over Suarez’ alleged release clause. The murkiness of contracts in general doesn’t help anyone in resolving this issue, with the conflict between Liverpool, considering the clause as something that only forces them to consider the offer, meaning they have to tell Suarez about it, and the agents, saying it is a de facto release clause, and Suarez should have been sold to Arsenal once he agrees his personal terms with them.
In a case of loyalty, lying and desperation to suddenly leave a club that has been behind Suarez through his darker moments on the football pitch and offers pretty much the same chance of success that the Gunners do, the Uruguayan doesn’t come out too well.
As for Rooney, it’s harder to sort through the mess at the Old Trafford. We haven’t heard anything from Rooney himself. Only David Moyes has been speaking. He said that Rooney is going to be a backup for Robin van Persie, but we’ve been also hearing that he won’t be sold; not to Chelsea, with two rejected bids, or to anyone else. Maybe they’re looking for more money, and maybe they’re really adamant that he remains.
As for Rooney himself, some say (Independent) that his relationship with senior players like Rio Ferdinand and Ryan Giggs, trying to use all of their experience and influence to change his mind about leaving, has soured, leaving him as an isolated man in the dressing room, wishing for the team to finally get rid of him.
Hopefully, by the time the season starts, which is only 12 days away, we won’t be hearing anymore about these two in terms of trying to find a new home. With Rooney, we’ll know a lot more when United play Wigan for the Community Shield, as the official season opener.