Please Release Me! Suarez Contract Dispute Set For Arbitration Hearing As Striker Forces Arsenal Move

With the summer transfer window now open, there is plenty of gossip doing the rounds in the newspapers so we’ll keep you up-to-date with the latest transfer rumours. Today, the Premier League could be forced to settle Luis Suarez’s contract dispute with Liverpool.

The Premier League are ready to settle Luis Suarez’s contract dispute with Liverpool as the striker continues to try and force a move to Arsenal, according to the Telegraph.

The report claims the Uruguayan is at loggerheads with Liverpool over a clause in his contract that was agreed when he signed a new deal last summer. The clause was triggered by Arsenal earlier this week when they tabled an offer worth £40,000,001 for the 26-year-old but the club and player remain at odds over the clauses interpretation.

The Telegraph suggest the Merseysiders have rejected Arsenal’s offer but have given Suarez permission to hold talks with the Gunners over a potential move to the Emirates, insisting that the clause requires they do nothing more than this. However, Suarez and his agent, Pere Guardiola, believe that Arsenal have triggered a formal release clause that means Liverpool have to sell.

It was reported on Wednesday that Suarez’s camp claim the agreement was that Liverpool would sell the striker for any offer over £40m if they failed to qualify for the Champions League last season, and Arsenal’s very specific offer of £40,000,001 was submitted on that very understanding.

If Liverpool refuse to back down, the Telegraph claim Suarez will take the matter up with the Premier League who will use rule T.30 – which allows them to arbitrate in disputes between players and clubs. It would not be the first time the striker has used such tactics as he did a similar thing when trying to force a move from Groningen to Ajax in 2007.

There have also been cases in England where this ruling has been used, most notably when Gabriel Heinze tried to force a move from Manchester United to Liverpool in 2007. On that occasion, the Premier League ruled in favour of United despite the defender having a written agreement that he was allowed to pursue a transfer to another club.

So unless either party relents, it looks like the Luis Suarez transfer saga is going to get messy and could be dragged through the courts. All parties are sure to want the situation resolved as quickly as possible and things should accelerate once clubs return from their pre-season tours early next week.

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Do you think Suarez will end up forcing a move to Arsenal? Or will Liverpool stand their ground? Share your views in the comments section below.