Ex-Arsenal transfer chief explains why Gunners made infamous £40m+£1 bid for Suarez, when there was NO release clause
ARSENAL’S former transfer chief Dick Law revealed why the club made their infamous £40million and £1 bid for Luis Suarez.The Uruguay international looked set to move to the Emirates Stadium in the summer of 2013 after Liverpool failed to qualify for the Champions League.
PA:Press Association
Luis Suarez was heavily linked with a switch from Liverpool to Arsenal in summer 2013 The now 36-year-old, who plays for Brazilians Gremio, had a clause in his contract with the Reds that they had to inform him of any transfer bid if it was more than £40m.
And Law insisted that Arsenal were always aware the figure was not a buy-out clause and they simply added the extra pound to kick-start negotiations.
But Liverpool owner John W. Henry took offence to the offer and, after it was publicised, he tweeted: “What do you think they’re smoking over there?”
Suarez ended up remaining at Anfield for another season where he was named PFA Player of the Year before sealing a £75m move to Barcelona.
Several years later and the striker was available for a nominal fee, leaving Barcelona for Atletico Madrid in 2020, where he won the LaLiga title.
The Gunners’ then-transfer guru Law would later explain that the North London side had never wanted to antagonise their Premier League rivals. More