Liverpool 'Yet To Spend £75m Received In Luis Suarez Sale'

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has revealed that the club have not dipped into the reported £75m fee that they received for selling Luis Suarez to Barcelona.

The Merseyside outfit have already acquired the signatures of Rickie Lambert, Adam Lallana, Emre Can and Lazar Markovic for a combined total of more than £50m.

Suarez is said to have sealed a five-year contract at Barcelona after Liverpool agreed a deal with the Catalan giants next week.

Despite the club's spending already, Rodgers has insisted that he is continuing to hunt for new additions, but will not splash the cash unless a player is worth it.

"The signings we have made have no relation to Luis going, absolutely – these were players that were always earmarked to come in," Rodgers told reporters.

"We felt last year we just never had the depth and we are in the Champions League this year so we have to ensure we have as strong a squad as possible.

"Obviously Luis going gives us the clout to go and spend more and we are getting the right type of player in, but we certainly won't spend just for the sake of spending. It has to be the sort of player who is going to improve us."

Liverpool finished two points behind champions Manchester City in the Premier League last season.

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Luis Suarez To Complete Barcelona Move This Week?

Liverpool striker Luis Suarez could reportedly seal a move to Barcelona before the end of the week.

Suarez is keen on a transfer to Camp Nou, and after talks between the two clubs were said to be productive, a transfer could be completed over the weekend.

According to Sky Sports News, Liverpool are holding out for a fee of £80m, which is the player's release clause, but Barcelona have indicated that they want to try to get a deal done with a bid in the region of £60m.

It had been reported that Barcelona striker Alexis Sanchez could make the move in the opposition direction, but while Liverpool remain keen on the Chile international, it is believed that he will not be part of any deal for Suarez.

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Diego Maradona Slams Luis Suarez's Four-month FIFA Ban For Biting

Argentina legend Diego Maradona has given his backing to Liverpool striker Luis Suarez after he was handed a four-month ban by FIFA for biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini.

The 27-year-old will be unable to take part in any football activity for four months, as well as nine international matches, which signalled his exit from the World Cup in Brazil.

Suarez, who has been punished before for two previous biting incidents, sunk his teeth into the shoulder of Chiellini during Uruguay's 1-0 win in Natal on Tuesday.

The Uruguayan FA plan to appeal the sanction, and Maradona is the latest figure to give his backing to the controversial frontman by wearing a T-shirt with the message 'Luisito Estamos Con Vos' emblazoned on the front, which translates as 'Luis we are with you', while appearing on TV show De Zurda in Rio.

Maradona is quoted as saying: "Why? Who is killed? This is football, this is friction."

The 53-year-old also joked: "Why not send him to Guantanamo?"

Meanwhile, Liverpool have reportedly denied claims that they will meet with Suarez's lawyer and agent in Barcelona today to discuss the forward's situation.

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'Luis Suarez's Four-month Ban For Biting Is Excessive' - Giorgio Chiellini

Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini has expressed empathy towards Luis Suarez after he was handed a four-month ban by FIFA for biting.

Chiellini was at the centre of the controversy when Suarez sunk his teeth into the shoulder of the Italian centre-back during Uruguay's 1-0 victory in Natal at the World Cup on Tuesday.

The Juventus player accused Suarez, who has also been banned for nine international matches, for biting, but has now claimed that he no longer holds fury over the incident but is more unhappy with Italy's exit from the tournament in Brazil.

In a statement on his official website, Chiellini said: "Now inside me there's no feelings of joy, revenge or anger against Suarez for an incident that happened on the pitch and that's done. There only remain the anger and the disappointment about the match.

"At the moment my only thought is for Luis and his family, because they will face a very difficult period. I have always considered unequivocal the disciplinary interventions by the competent bodies, but at the same time I believe that the proposed formula is excessive.

"I sincerely hope that he will be allowed, at least, to stay close to his team mates during the games because such a ban is really alienating for a player."

The Uruguayan FA has decided to stand by the striker after it confirmed that it will appeal against the sanction

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