Be afraid, Arsenal. Be very afraid.
The Luis Suarez situation has turned into a soap opera. September 2 needs to hurry up and get here so that it can be brought to an end.
The London Evening Standard's James Olley has reported Real Madrid may again become a likely option for the Uruguayan striker in the coming weeks:
It is understood that the Liverpool striker is prepared to seek legal clarification from the Premier League in a bid to revive interest from the Spanish giants.
Standard Sport understands there is a belief in Suarez’s camp that Real’s interest could be revived were the Premier League to rule in his favour and effectively set his price at one pound over £40m.
This comes after Suarez gave a very revealing interview to The Guardian's Sid Lowe. In it, he said Liverpool promised he could leave if the club didn't qualify for the Champions League:
Last year I had the opportunity to move to a big European club and I stayed on the understanding that if we failed to qualify for the Champions League the following season I'd be allowed to go. I gave absolutely everything last season but it was not enough to give us a top-four finish – now all I want is for Liverpool to honour our agreement.
I don't feel betrayed [by Liverpool] but the club promised me something a year ago just as I promised them that I would stay and try everything possible to get us into the Champions League.
They gave me their word a year ago and now I want them to honour that. And it is not just something verbal with the coach but something that is written in the contract. I'm not going to another club to hurt Liverpool.
Arsene Wenger has told al-Jazeera Sport that a move for Suarez is "on standby," via The Guardian.
Given Suarez's previous reputation and recent comments, you have to wonder if buying him is really worth it for Arsenal. He's going to score you goals, but for £40-plus million, you're taking on a lot of baggage.
Wenger has never spent more than £15-16 million on a player. For him to go after one who's worth about three times that is a surprise, especially given Suarez's volatility. If Arsenal buy Suarez and it goes wrong, Wenger will likely have a hard time spending that kind of money on a player again, which only hurts the club in the long run.
With a reputation to match even that of Wenger himself, Arsenal hold themselves up to what is the idealistic "Arsenal Way," which states on the club's website, "Arsenal Football Club exists to make our fans proud wherever they are in the world and however they choose to follow us." The Gunners pride themselves on doing things the right way and presenting a good image of the club.
Football commentator Adrian Healey has a great parallel for the toxicity of the star player.
Suarez is the antithesis of the ideas for which Arsenal stand. There are few players in the world who are more guaranteed to damage your club's image than Suarez.
In addition, a world-class striker is not going to transform the Gunners into title contenders. There are still some issues at the back and in midfield. Suarez makes Arsenal better, but you'd still have to pick Chelsea or Manchester City ahead of them.
Considering Gunners supporters should have already been a little apprehensive at the possibility of Suarez arriving at the Emirates, his most recent step toward getting out of Liverpool is too much.
It's harder to figure out what part of the Suarez situation is a bigger farce.
On one hand, you've got a player who blamed the English media for everything that has gone wrong in his Liverpool career, reaching out to that same media to air his grievances.
On the other, you've got Suarez turning his back on Liverpool after they stood behind him 100 percent after the racial abuse of Patrice Evra and biting of Branislav Ivanovic.
You can put up with talented players to a certain extent. That's why Zlatan Ibrahimovic continues to bounce around at the best clubs in the world.
Unlike Ibrahimovic, Suarez's eccentricities often come at the cost of the club. He was suspended eight matches for abusing Evra, one match for inappropriate conduct toward Fulham supporters and then 10 matches for biting Ivanovic (six of which will carry over to this season).
Through it all, Liverpool stuck by him. Now they're being rewarded by having the player run to the papers and trying to sue the club (h/t Sami Mokbel and Laurie Whitwell of the Daily Mail) in order to get out of Anfield.
Arsenal supporters are deluding themselves if they think he won't do the same to the Gunners. Once Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, PSG etc., come calling, Suarez will force his way out of the Emirates.
Just ask Liverpool supporters if Suarez is worth the hassle.
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