It makes sense: let go of one controversial figure and bring in another. In fairness, Florentino Perez has already taken steps to distance himself and Real Madrid from Luis Suarez. The Madrid president talked up the Uruguayan as one of the best in the world, but stated that “sometimes it does not always fit.”
You can understand Madrid’s standpoint on this one. While Jose Mourinho did bring some degree of success in his three years at the club, the overwhelming memory of his time in Spain will be the controversy that surrounded his tenure. And while Luis Suarez can be an enormous asset to any club he lines up for, the trepidation from Madrid’s perspective at signing the Liverpool forward is completely understandable.
That was the stance Real Madrid took earlier this week, amidst all the talk that Gareth Bale was the topic of greatest importance within the Bernabeu. Interestingly, follow-up reports seem to indicate that there is indeed a deal between the club and player for Suarez’s transfer, completely contrasting Perez’s initial thoughts on the subject.
For Suarez, it’s a move that’s befitting of his talent as a footballer. That’s not to take anything away from Liverpool. The issue here is that Suarez has spoken out about his discomfort at living and playing in England, with the ‘media witch hunt’ forcing him to consider a move abroad.
There’s no doubt that Suarez more than fits the bill of a candidate good enough to arrive at the Bernabeu as another Galactico. The player’s unpredictability on the pitch combined with his soaring goals record means that Real Madrid would be making waves with his capture, moving on from the disappointments of this season and attempting to re-launch their bid for a 10th European Cup.
Maybe there should be questions as to how Suarez would fit in at the Bernabeu alongside Cristiano Ronaldo. The club have looked to strengthen their position with Ronaldo going into this summer, making it absolutely clear that the Portuguese is set to head the revamped squad over the next few years. On paper, Suarez and the key players currently at the Bernabeu is a fascinating and thrilling mix.
Yet it wouldn’t be incongruous for some sections to have doubts about this move and the likely partnership. The evidence is all there, from very little return on Perez’s first Galactico movement and only two major trophies this time around. It all points to the fact that throwing the world’s best players together doesn’t always bring results. Or, and this one is even more significant, it says a great deal about Perez and his vision for the club.
It’s also important to look at the ramifications for Liverpool and how they might suffer from this. I’ve said in the past that if the club are as smart as they’re portraying themselves to be this year, they will stand firm on their value of Suarez and reinvest wisely. That doesn’t mean going out and grabbing the first big-name striker that becomes available. For all his goals and near-guarantees of big numbers each season, a player like Mario Gomez just isn’t the ideal fit for the players currently at Anfield. Moreover, Liverpool could go even further by reinvesting over a number of new arrivals, strengthening the base of their squad rather than just seeking to replace Suarez like-for-like. That means adding goals all over the pitch, bringing in centre-backs who are a step up from the produce of last season, and, hugely importantly, finding the replacement for Xabi Alonso to complement the forwards currently in the team.
What Suarez’s departure will do to Liverpool over the short-term is act as a hammer blow to their ambitions and targets for next season. It will feel like ground has been lost and all the progress of last season has been washed away. But there can be positives from this, especially for their image. Like Madrid, Liverpool need to compose themselves after some of the controversies of the last few seasons. No matter how good he was, Suarez did punch holes in Liverpool’s targets on each of the occasions where he picked up lengthy bans. If he remains at Anfield, who’s to say those manner of incidents are truly in the past?
With such a low transfer budget reported to be on the table for Brendan Rodgers, picking up a significant boost from the sale of Suarez can be the silver lining. It’s times like this where Liverpool have to find their resolve and add credence to the notion that no player is bigger than the club.
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