Liverpool opens record contract talks with Suarez

Posted Wednesday, December 18, 2013 by YAHOO Sport

Liverpool opens record contract talks with Suarez \

Liverpool has made the first step in its bid to tie Luis Suarez down to a club-record contract.

Managing director Ian Ayre flew to Barcelona to hold talks with Suarez's agent, Pere Guardiola, on Tuesday and, although he did not offer a new deal, the meeting signals the Reds' intent to avoid another protracted summer saga.

It is understood that the club is prepared to pay its star forward more than 130,000 pounds (154,000 euros) per week to stay at Anfield for the long-term.

Liverpool, under the stewardship of Fenway Sports Group, has traditionally been reluctant to open contract negotiations during the season but is desperate to fend off interest in the Uruguay international, whose current deal expires in 2016.

The 26-year-old has been in blistering form since returning from suspension for biting Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic, scoring 17 Premier League goals in 11 games and keeping his side just two points behind Arsenal at the top of the table.

Goal understands that Real Madrid is preparing to lay the groundwork on a 60 million pound (70 million euro) move in January, though the Spanish giant expects a deal to be more likely next summer.

Suarez spent the summer angling for a move away from Anfield in pursuit of Champions League football, which strained relations between the player, his agent and the club.

But he has put that behind with a string of exceptional displays and is now settled on Merseyside once more. Liverpool, for its part, believes that the striker's efforts were driven by Champions League ambition rather than financial reward and hope to offer him both next season.

After being named the Football Supporters' Federation's player of the year for 2013 on Monday, Suarez said: "After so many difficult moments for me I was able to win the supporters back, and that was unbelievable when I came back to play."