Should Arsenal Pursue An Interest In Luis Suarez

If the ever so reliable media are to be believed Arsenal have made a bid for want away Liverpool striker Luis Suarez. Judging by the reaction of Arsenal fans on Twitter last night it's not a bid that has impressed those fans. Suarez is a player who courts controversy and is rarely out of the headlines for the wrong reasons.

There is no doubting his ability but it would be a brave move for Arsenal to sign a player who has been found guilty of racially abusing an opponent in the recent past. Added to that he still has six games of a 10 game ban to serve for biting Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic towards the end of last season. It wasn't the first time he has bitten an opponent either and who knows when or how he will next lose the plot on the football pitch. 

Suarez has also gained a reputation for diving and whether it's deserved or not he's certainly a marked man when it comes to referees. He is also very fond of handling the ball to gain an advantage and there are few players on the game who are considered to be as much of a cheat as he is. Arsenal have had their fair share of flawed players in the past, but I would be surprised if Arsene Wenger would sign a player with so many problems and so much controversy around him.

Arsenal have money to spend this summer and are desperate to land a top quality striker. They gave apparently been pursuing Gonzalo Higuain of Real Madrid for a while now, but if that deal doesn't materialise they need a back up plan. Whether Suarez is that back up plan or not is another matter entirely and I'm not sure he is. 

There's always the possibility that it's merely brinksmanship on Arsenal's part to force Madrid's hand in the Higuain deal. Maybe Madrid will think twice about holding out for more money for Higuain if they think Arsenal have their sights set on another genuine target. Madrid have spent a lot of money already this summer and they will need to bring some money in. 

As a fan I want to see quality players sign for Arsenal and I will support those players if and when they do sign. I would much prefer to see the club sign Higuain over Suarez but the bottom line is they are both top class goal scorers and either player would improve the Arsenal team. There's a lot of work to be done to make the current Arsenal squad truly competitive at the top and it needs to start very soon.

I think it would take an awful lot more than the reported £30 million offer for Suarez to get Liverpool to part with their star player, but he has declared his desire to play elsewhere. It won't be easy for them to keep him or get his true market value with other clubs knowing he wants out. He also wants out of the Premier League though as he feels the English media have persecuted him although his troubles are all of his own making.

The Higuain deal is still an awful lot more likely in my opinion but the longer it drags out the more the fans will feel it's not going to happen. I hope Higuain does sign for Arsenal and I wouldn't be surprised to see Suarez end up with Madrid too. It certainly makes the days a little more interesting as the wait for the new season continues.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.