Liverpool: Sell or hold Luis Suarez?

Luis Suarez is currently one of the best strikers available in world football at the moment. The Uruguayan international had single handedly carried the Reds on his shoulder for the first half of the last season, until Daniel Sturridge arrived at Anfield in January.

The 26-year-old has repeatedly expressed his desire to leave the Merseyside club in the summer after admitting the British media has tarnished his image. Now the biggest question for Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers and the club is, should they sell or keep Suarez at Anfield?

Suarez has scored 23 goals and managed five assists during the last season. Despite his brilliant form, the former Ajax man could not help his side finish in the top four or manage a place in the Europa League for the next season. Liverpool finished seventh in the Premier League table with 61 points, trailing their derby rivals Everton by two points.

With Suarez, Liverpool have still not managed to finish the season as many of their fans had dreamt of. One needs to take into consideration that the Uruguayan was the lone striker up front for almost six months and was not having any support from the midfielder players.

His form for the Reds is unquestionable and with Rodgers signing Sturridge and Philippe Coutinho, the Merseysiders were believed to be heading in the right direction under the leadership of the Northern Irishman. Should Liverpool manage to hold Suarez beyond the summer transfer window, they can be hopeful of finishing the next season in top four.

However, making (or forcing) Suarez to stay at Anfield will come at a cost. The striker has already damaged the image and reputation of the club. Mainly, his antics on the field have seen him receive criticism from all football fans and pundits.

In the last season alone, Suarez was slammed for diving in front of David Moyes, while he was in charge at Everton. This was followed by a weird dive inside the penalty box and the things got worse after he bit Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic, for which he is serving a 10-match ban.

Meanwhile, Liverpool fans have something to cheer and be sad at the same time as the Reds are closing in on signing Celta Vigo striker Iago Aspas while their talisman is now seeking an exit from Anfield.

Aspas is not on the same level as the Uruguayan international, both in his performances and for his antics on the field. The Spaniard has also faced a four-match ban for his head butt on Deportivo’s Carlos Marchena. Is Aspas the next Suarez is something undecided.

But with his latest remarks, it is likely that Suarez has decided to leave England once and for all, which would be a major blow Liverpool fans. In addition to this, his antics, comments and remarks will also be missed by rival fans.