Liverpool striker Luis Suarez wants an “amicable agreement” to leave the club, honouring a contract clause that said he could leave if they failed to qualify for the Champions League.
Liverpool have maintained Suarez is not for sale despite a reported bid of just over £40 million from Arsenal.
“Last year we agreed to renew the contract with a new clause: If we didn’t qualify for the Champions League I would be able to leave if an offer for more than £40 million came in,” Suarez said.
“The option we have is from a team in the Champions League who are pushing hard for me.”
Asked if he would submit a transfer request to force his exit, Suarez replied: “My idea is to reach an amicable agreement.”
Socceroos to play Brazil friendly
Australia will get an early taste of the conditions in store at next year’s World Cup finals when they take on hosts Brazil in a friendly in Brasilia next month.
The Socceroos qualified for their third successive World Cup finals with a 1-0 win over Iraq in June and coach Holger Osieck said the September 7 match against the Selecao would be “a valuable learning experience”.
“With less than 12 months to go to the World Cup this match is a great opportunity for us to get an impression of the environment we will face,” Osieck said.
Park Ji-sung joins PSV on loan
QPR midfielder Park Ji-sung will join PSV Eindhoven on a season-long loan.
The former South Korea inter-national spent three seasons at PSV before moving to Manches-ter United in 2005.
After a successful spell at Old Trafford the 32-year-old joined QPR last season but failed to make an impact, eventually losing the captaincy as the club was relegated from the Premier League.
“The deal is subject to Park Ji-sung obtaining a work permit,” QPR said on their website.
“During this time, he will continue to train with QPR.”
Saha calls it quits
Former France striker Louis Saha celebrated his 35th birthday yesterday by announcing his retirement from football.
Saha started his career at Metz before spells at Newcastle United, Fulham, Manchester United, Everton, Tottenham Hotspur, Sunderland and Italian club Lazio last season.
“Want to thank all managers, all staff, all team-mates, all oppo-nents, all fans, for all support and love towards me during my football career,” Saha said on Twitter.
“I’m a proud man but without you all I won’t be myself now. Thanks for the challenges, thanks for the help, thanks for the memories, thanks for the passion.”
No pay cut for keeper Julio Cesar
QPR keeper Julio Cesar will only join a new club if he’s offered a four-year contract, his agent said.
This week, Fiorentina denied reports that they had made an offer for Julio Cesar who failed to agree terms with Napoli in July.
“I never had contact with Fiorentina, but I did send a close friend to speak to the club. For now there is no news,” Cesar’s agent Josias Cardoso said.
“QPR would have no problem letting him go to Fiorentina or to any other club, but if the €3.2m don’t arrive then it’s difficult to close the deal.
“The move can be made only if we are offered a four-year deal. He has a contract with QPR until 2016, so it has to match that date.”
Fabregas dismisses Barca exit talk
Barcelona midfielder Cesc Fabregas has said his only wish is to succeed with the Spanish champions and has dismissed the idea that he could be lured away to another club.
Manchester United are trying to bring the 26-year-old Spain international back to the Premier League, which he left when he returned to his boyhood club from Arsenal in 2011.
“Nothing has changed. I am happy at Barcelona. My dream is to play and triumph here and I have never considered leaving,” Fabregas said yesterday.
“When an important team makes two offers for you, it’s flattering, but I have never spoken to anyone from United.”
UEFA suspends Armenian officials
UEFA has suspended two Armenian match officials after they admitted to attempted match-fixing in a Europa League match last month.
Referee Andranik Arsenyan and assistant Hovhannes Avag-yan admitted to attempting to manipulate the outcome of the first qualifying round second leg match between FC Inter Turku and Vikingur on July 11.
The UEFA betting fraud detection system had detected suspicious betting patterns around the fixture which finished 1-0 to Vikingur and an investi-gation had already been launched.
The two officials were called before the Executive Committee of the Football Federation of Armenia this week where they admitted their roles.