• Premier League

Agent claims Suarez has no plans to leave Liverpool

Luis Suarez's agent has told Sky Sports News that the forward is "happy" at Liverpool and is not seeking a move to Real Madrid.

Suarez, currently serving a ten-match ban after biting Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic, had been quoted as telling Uruguayan radio station Sport 890 that the negativity of the English press could lead him to seek a move. He also welcomed links to Real Madrid, saying: "To say no to Madrid would always be difficult."

The Spanish club's president, Florentino Perez, appeared to confirm the interest is genuine when he told the COPE radio station: "Luis Suarez is a great player and of course everyone would like to have him. I like him, and others too like Lewandowski and Cavani, they are all very good, but there is not room for them all."

The Madrid-based Marca newspaper has also claimed that the player has verbally agreed a four-year contract to move to the Bernabeu should the two clubs agree on a transfer fee.

However, the Uruguay international's agent, Pere Guardiola, said on Thursday morning that Suarez remained happy at Liverpool and would not seek to move on this summer.

In The Independent, Guardiola added: "He is fine at Liverpool but recent times have been tough for him. There is nothing more in it."

Suarez, a £22.8 million buy from Ajax in January 2011, signed a long-term contract with Liverpool last August.

However, speculation over his future intensified in March when the striker, on international duty with Uruguay at the time, was reported as saying that he would welcome approaches from clubs in next season's Champions League. He later insisted he had been misquoted by Uruguayan reporters. Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers and managing director Ian Ayre have both stated publicly that Suarez is not for sale.

Rodgers, though, acknowledged last week that he expects rival clubs to make bids for him, and for speculation to increase further while the striker is in Brazil with his country for the Confederations Cup, which runs from June 15 to 30.

The Liverpool manager said at the time that he believes other players at the tournament may try to persuade Suarez to move on.

"You can't control that - people getting into his ear while he's away," Rodgers said. "These are professionals, and Luis has got a tournament to play, but I can't worry about that."

The 26-year-old was Liverpool's top scorer during the season just completed, with 30 goals, but missed his club's final four matches as he began his ten-game suspension.

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