Arsene Wenger opens up about Arsenal's famous £40m plus £1 offer for Luis Suarez in 2013

Former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has lifted the lid and shed light on Arsenal's infamous £40,000,001 bid for former Liverpool star Luis Suarez back in 2013. Luis Suarez was linked with an Anfield exit after Liverpool had just finished outside of the European places under Brendan Rodgers and Arsenal were reportedly interested in bringing the Uruguayan to the Emirates.

The player had just netted 30 goals in all competitions for the Reds and was also linked to a move to Camp Nou. Arsene Wenger, had heard of a release clause that would allow Luis Suarez to leave for any offer higher than £40m. As a result, he made a bid with just £1 more than what was required to test the waters. Liverpool, however, immediately dismissed the offer out of hand with John W. Henry, the club’s owner, infamously tweeting, "What do you think they’re smoking over there at Emirates?" [sic]

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Le Professeur took to his new book Arsene Wenger: My Life in Red and White to talk about the infamous bid and said that Arsenal struck an agreement with both Luis Suarez and his agent, who claimed that the former Ajax star had a clause in his contract allow him to leave for any offer higher than £40m but that reported clause never existed. 

Arsene Wenger admitted their infamous transfer offer that was immediately rebuffed by those at Anfield, was indeed ludicrous but Arsene explained that it was just submitted to see if the claims were really true. He wrote in his book,  "We had an agreement with the player and his agent. But the agent claimed that there was a clause: with an offer above £40million, Liverpool would be obliged to let the player go. But thanks to an indiscretion within Liverpool, I found out that his clause never existed. To check this was true, we offered £40,000,001. This may have seemed ludicrous, I admit but Liverpool did not want to sell Suarez, they could afford to keep him and there was already an offer from Barca on the horizon."

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Arsenal transfers this season

Arsenal made quite a few additions to their squad this summer, with Alex Runarsson joining he club from French side Dijon, the club also signed Thomas Partey, a long-awaited signing among Arsenal fans. Arsenal also signed Willian on a free transfer and bought Gabriel Magalhaes. The club also sold Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, while Matteo Guendouzi, Lucas Torreira were among those who left the club on loan. 

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Image credit: AP