Liverpool striker Luis Suarez’ time at Anfield has been blighted by several controversies. He has been banned for more than 15 matches as a result of two separate incidents. It is an astonishing amount of games considering that he has been at the club only since 2011.

However, he has now been linked with a move to Arsenal, who have made an offer of more than £ 40 million for the striker. Instead of rejecting any transfer speculation, Suarez has requested permission for him to speak with Arsenal. Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has recalled of the fans and the club was extremely supportive of him during his bad times.

In the first incident, Suarez was found guilty of racially abusing Manchester United’s Patrice Evra. He was banned for eight matches as a result of it. Despite this, Liverpool fans and players came out in support of the Uruguay striker, who said that the racial abuse was not said with a malicious intent. His latest controversy came at the end of last season when he bit into Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic. This was the second such offence of his career, but still Liverpool as a club was extremely supportive of him. He was banned for an even longer period this time around.

“There’s nothing new to report. He’s very much a Liverpool player and over the course of the next couple of weeks we’ve got to get him up to speed. The support he has received from the supporters and the people of the city of Liverpool has been unrivalled. In this period of time he’s missed a lot of games for the club through various reasons. The people have stood by him, like a son and really looked after him,” said Rodgers. Suarez will be absent for the first six Premier league matches because of the ban.