Ayre flew to Barcelona on Tuesday for a meeting scheduled with Suárez’s agent Pere Guardiola, the first significant move in trying to tie the 26-year-old to an improved long-term deal thought to be worth more than £130,000 a week. Suárez’s current contract expires in the summer of 2016 and Liverpool know they face a battle to retain the Uruguayan given his extraordinary form.
After the trauma of last summer, when Suárez made it clear that he wanted to leave amid interest from Arsenal, he is settled again on Merseyside and Liverpool will hope to take advantage of the positive vibes around him and the club.
Relations between Liverpool and Guardiola were strained at times last summer but have generally been cordial and not unduly harmed by that period. However, the club know his motivation is not financial as he craves Champions League football.
The demolition of Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday significantly enhanced Liverpool’s hopes of finishing in the top four. Suárez was made captain for the game and is likely to retain the honour over the Christmas period with Steven Gerrard injured.
With vice-captain Daniel Agger out of the side and facing an uncertain future, Suárez has been given added responsibility, which the Anfield board hope will cement his future at the club.
Realistically, Suárez may wish to wait to see if Liverpool can consolidate the excellent first half to their campaign, particularly as they have key games away to Manchester City and Chelsea on the horizon. Should the Merseyside club build a lead over their rivals for the Champions League positions in the new year, Liverpool will be confident that Suárez will extend his stay with the club.
Meanwhile, manager Brendan Rodgers has called up Academy-based teenagers Jordan Rossiter and Brad Smith to his first-team squad for the Christmas period. “We’ve had Jordan and Brad training with us, two outstanding young players,” Rodgers said. “Brad has been out for a long time with an injury but he’s got a lot of the attributes to play for Liverpool. He’s super quick, gets high up the pitch naturally and wants to attack but can defend as well.
“Jordan’s got the tools to be a Liverpool player. I looked at him in training on Friday playing with first-team players and I thought ‘there’s a boy who you can take to Stamford Bridge and he’ll fight and pass and put his foot in’. It’s something I’ll look closely at.”
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