Rodgers wants big fee for Suarez

Rodgers pounced on the hugely inflated nature of the transfer market to try and up the ante, as Liverpool continue to deny Suarez the right to leave, despite a verbal agreement reportedly being struck.

That agreement would let Suarez leave for a club in the Champions League if Liverpool had not qualified and were offered £40 million or more, which is what Arsenal have offered. Liverpool are claiming, slightly implausibly, that Arsenal are not a Champions League club as they are participating in qualifiers.

Rodgers said: “Look at the market. Gareth Bale and Luis Suárez were the best two players in the Premier League last season, and you can’t say Bale is worth 100% more.

“There are lots of stories, lots of speculation about Luis, but there’s no change in the situation. Of all the clubs he has been linked with, we’ve had two bids from one club [Arsenal] and they were nowhere near our valuation. Unless something dramatic happens it’s very simple. We don’t want to sell him.”