Arsenal have engaged in some chaotic transfer battles over the years, but none were quite as dramatic or crazy as their pursuit of Luis Suarez in 2013.
Suarez had established himself as one of the best, but most controversial strikers in the world at Liverpool, and he ended the 2012-13 season out of the squad after serving a ban for biting Branislav Ivanovic.
This ban meant that he was suspended for the first few games of the following season, but this did not stop clubs wanting to sign him, and with Liverpool finishing in seventh place, he expressed a desire to play Champions League football.
Arsene Wenger’s side clinched fourth place ahead of Tottenham Hotspur on the final day of the season, ensuring they would compete in the Champions League for a 16th consecutive campaign, but Arsenal had not yet found their replacement for Robin van Persie.
Gonzalo Higuain of Real Madrid was pursued, but the Argentina International ended up at Napoli. However, Arsenal had bigger plans which involved Suarez.
Arsenal wanted to sign Luis Suarez from Liverpool in 2013
Arsenal had Olivier Giroud on their books, but after an inconsistent first season it was clear that a true goalscorer was needed in the squad alongside him.
They identified Suarez as the world-class level raiser who would help make Arsenal title contenders. The Uruguayan scored 30 goals in 44 games for Liverpool that season and was one of the deadliest forwards on the planet.
Suarez was keen on the move, and in 2021 he explained his motivation behind trying to force through a move from Anfield to The Emirates, and claimed that Brendan Rodgers had promised him a year before that he would bring Champions League football to Liverpool.
“He asked me to believe and trust him. I enjoyed that chat. I liked his conviction, the philosophy he wanted to implement at the club, so I talked to my agent and the club to say that I didn’t want to leave, that I wanted another opportunity to be successful at Liverpool,” Suarez told UEFA.
“That year wasn’t as good as we wanted, but ideas were already pretty clear. So then the 2012/13 season goes by, and I wanted to sign for Arsenal, since Arsenal had played in the Champions League every season prior to that.”
Arsenal believed they activated release clause for Luis Suarez with £40m + £1 bid
Arsenal had bids of around £30m for Suarez knocked back, but his agent Pere Guardiola had claimed that an offer of £40m or more would trigger a clause which meant Liverpool had to consider offers for him.
Arsenal then shocked the world when they bid £40m + £1, with it believed that they would activate a release clause. Then-Liverpool owner John Henry laughed off the bid, and even posted on X (formerly Twitter) to express his outrage.
“What do you think they’re smoking over there at Emirates?” He posted.
“Through the whole process, we were trying to figure out where the key to unlock the door was,” former Arsenal transfer chief Dick Law told The Athletic in 2021.
“The agent was claiming that with an offer of £40 million, Liverpool were obligated to talk. We quickly realised that was not the case — there was no obligation.”
This was therefore a justifiable bid. If £40m was his release clause as believed, then the offer would have been sufficient to trigger it. However, Wenger did later admit some regret over it in his Autobiography, calling the situation “ludicrous.”
“Nobody at Arsenal expected to sign the player for that price. We knew we had to go in over £40 million — obviously, we didn’t want to go in and offer £50 million, because maybe Liverpool would have sold for £45 million. We didn’t see any real reason to throw money away… we knew there was going to be a negotiation, we just needed to trigger it,” Wenger revealed.
What would have happened if Arsenal signed Luis Suarez in 2013?
Arsenal went on to sign Mesut Ozil in 2013, and they competed alongside Liverpool for the Premier League title, which Manchester City won.
If Wenger had Suarez at his disposal, Arsenal may have won the league with that much firepower alongside Ozil and Santi Cazorla. Suarez moved to Barcelona a year after the Arsenal bid, and he may have done the same if he joined Arsenal.
“I had some further discussions with the coach, as well as with Gerrard. He was the one that convinced me. I told him I wanted to keep being successful, that I wanted to play in the Champions League.
“So, he said to me, ‘If this year we keep improving as we have been, and you’re at the level you have to be, next year you’ll be able to play for Bayern München, Real Madrid, Barcelona, or whatever club you like. You’ll have the chance to choose, but stay for one more year,'” Suarez revealed.
“I remember that talk with Gerrard, and I remember everything the coach said to me. He texted me things like, ‘Stay for another year, just try it.”‘And, well, that was the year we were close to winning the Premier League.”
It is clear that if Barcelona came calling for Suarez, he would have then forced a move from the Emirates after a year. However, that year could have seen Arsenal win the title, but given Suarez’s controversial behaviour at Liverpool, this was no guarantee, and with Wenger’s side forming a tight-knit unit which went on to win the FA Cup, he may have been a disruptive figure despite his incredible talent.
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