• Premier League

Wenger refuses to brush off Suarez links

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was unwilling to discuss the prospect of a renewed approach for Luis Suarez in January ahead of his side's clash with Liverpool on Saturday.

Wenger sanctioned a couple of substantial bids to sign Suarez in the summer transfer window, but when asked if he planned to return with a new offer, he brushed off suggestions that the Uruguay striker remains a possible target.

"I am not focused on that now, 24 hours before this game," is all Wenger would offer when asked whether he would return with a fresh bid for Suarez in either the January transfer window or next summer.

"You [the media] made it [Suarez bids] public. I didn't make anything public. Look, he plays for Liverpool and at the moment he is doing very well. What is important for me is players who play for Arsenal and not those who could play for Arsenal. What is important is the players who will play against Luis Suarez."

Wenger was equally evasive when he was pressed on the moral issues surrounding his bid for Suarez, with some Arsenal supporters questioning the wisdom of bidding for a player with a chequered disciplinary record.

"We have high moral ground and of course we take information about the moral level of the players and when there are any restrictions, we do not buy the players," said Wenger. "That is a debate I won't go into now. It's not the right place before the game to speak about it.

"The details of all that will maybe come out one day. Maybe not in my book, but in somebody else's book."

Wenger went on to insist he is satisfied with his striking options this season, as he praised the efforts of Olivier Giroud after he took on the mantle of Arsenal's lead marksman. "Giroud has proven since the start of the season that he is a tremendous striker and I'm sure he will be up for showing that [against Liverpool]," added Wenger.

"Giroud is a real centre forward who uses his space, uses his power. He is really central. Suarez is a player who goes on the flanks, who drops into midfield and he is really a dribbler."

Suarez heads into the game at Emirates Stadium having scored six goals in his four Premier League games this season, while Giroud has scored eight times in all competitions so far.

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