• Premier League

Arsenal not a step up for Suarez - Gerrard

ESPN staff
September 1, 2013
ESPN FC: Suarez stays


Steven Gerrard has urged Luis Suarez to repay Liverpool's faith in him by not moving to another English club if he chooses to leave Anfield next year, insisting Arsenal would not be a "step forward".

Suarez appears to have settled at Liverpool after a summer of speculation linking him with a move to the Emirates and the Uruguayan is expected to make his return from suspension later this month in the Capital One Cup clash with Manchester United.

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Gerrard has conceded anything other than a top four finish this season will likely see Suarez leave the club next summer, but has encouraged the striker to remain loyal to the Reds until then.

"Luis has got to openly admit this club have stood behind him on a couple of massive occasions and they've rewarded him with new contracts as well," Gerrard said. "I think he's got to stop and realise that the club have been fair to him.

"He is at the right age, he is going to be fantastic for us if he stays for another year, an he'll have another opportunity to move forward to a club that he deserves to be at."

Gerrard believes moving to Arsenal would have been a mistake for his team-mate, citing former striker Fernando Torres' move to Chelsea as evidence that Suarez should only leave Liverpool for one of Europe's top clubs.

"I didn't ever think Luis would leave -- well, not to another English club anyway," Gerrard is quoted in the Mirror. "I don't want to disrespect Arsenal, because they are a fantastic club, but I don't see joining them as being a step forward for Luis.

"There are only really two or three clubs he should leave this football club for if he is taking a step forward. If we don't qualify for the ­Champions League this ­season he can go to Real Madrid, ­Barcelona or Bayern Munich -- and he can go with his head held high. The one thing I can assure you, it's not about money with Luis Suarez.

"I understand we're a little bit off the Champions League here at the moment, but I think he would ruin the relationship he has got with the supporters here if he went to another ­English club. I saw what happened to Fernando Torres. I didn't want Luis to make the same mistake and that's the advice I gave him. He'll have another chance to move forward to a club that he deserves to be at."

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