Liverpool tying Luis Suarez down to a new contract is fantastic news for the club. He may not be everybody's cup of tea - and that might be putting it mildly, but there is no denying he will be the focal point of the club's attack.
Last year was a tumultuous season for the Uruguayan, with the well documented racism row resulting in an eight game ban for the player.
After Uruguay's defeat to Great Britain in the Olympics last week, the player appeared utterly fed up with his treatment, especially when his nation's anthem was booed.
We asked at the weekend if Suarez might be tempted to pack it in if this season did not go to plan on the pitch for him, while Brendan Rodgers urged him to put the Evra issue behind him.
Just yesterday morning, the Mirror, reported that Juventus were not giving up their battle to sign Suarez, only to be left red-faced hours later when Liverpool formally announced the striker had renewed his new contract.
Earlier this summer Suarez had committed himself verbally to the club, publicly, after interest from PSG, but this failed to prevent speculation.
And rightly so, it all added up to a very logical argument that the player could leave. Brendan Rodgers clearly realised the threat too, pushing the player to re-sign on the dotted line.
The manager pressed him for a new start, and this signals the beginning of it. By signing a new deal, believed to run until 2016, the player has let his actions speak louder than any public statement that he wants to stay at Anfield would.
With defender Daniel Agger currently providing an uncertain future, Liverpool have done excellently to tie down one of their key players. Now they can continue looking forward to next season and clearing the wreckage of 2011-12 behind them.
What can Luis Suarez achieve with Liverpool next season?
image: © dannymol
Dan Coombs
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Dan Coombs is a writer who is keen to embrace the internet revolution. He first started writing for us in June 2011 and commenced his new role as Sports Editor in February 2012.
As a trained journalist he has met famous faces from Mr T to Boris Johnson. He once featured in an England World Cup music video too, but it did not make the charts.
He grew up wanting to be a Formula 1 driver, but it looks like this dream has passed him by. Instead, he hopes you enjoy reading his writing on our site, as we seek to debate the day's sporting hot topics.
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