Liverpool have turned down a transfer request from Fernando Torres hours after Kenny Dalglish made his first major transfer impact in his second spell as manager by agreeing to sign Uruguay forward Luis Suarez.
The club, who said on Friday they had agreed to buy Suarez from Dutch club Ajax for 26.5 million euros (US$36 million), have made it clear they intend to keep Spain striker Torres.
“Fernando is under long-term contract and the club expect him to honor the commitment he made to Liverpool FC and its supporters when he signed the agreement,” the Merseysiders said on their Web site.
On Thursday, Liverpool turned down what media reported was a British record fee of about ￡40 million (US$63 million) for the forward from Chelsea.
Torres has struggled for form this season, but has looked sharper since Dalglish took over from Roy Hodgson on an interim basis this month, helping to lift Liverpool up to seventh in the Premier League with back-to-back wins.
If Liverpool can persuade Torres to stay they will end up with a potent strike force thanks to the addition of the 24-year-old Suarez, who scored 111 goals in 159 appearances for Ajax.
Liverpool said on their Web site they had been granted permission by Ajax to discuss personal terms with Suarez and his representatives, adding the deal was subject to a medical.
“I can understand Luis wanting to go to Liverpool, it’s a beautiful club, but then it has to be satisfying for both parties,” Ajax coach Frank de Boer said in a statement.
Nicknamed El Pistolero or “The Gunfighter,” Suarez has just finished serving a seven-match ban for biting PSV Eindhoven’s Otman Bakkal on the shoulder in a league match in November.
He was also at the center of controversy at last year’s World Cup when Uruguay went through to the semi-finals after he handled the ball on the goal-line in the final minute of extra-time against Ghana to prevent a winning goal by Dominic Adiyiah.
Suarez was sent off, but his team subsequently won a penalty shootout.
The striker has scored seven league goals this season after notching 48 in all competitions last term to earn the Dutch Footballer of the Year award.
Suarez has netted 16 goals in 38 international appearances.
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