Arsene Wenger 'convinced' Luis Suarez wanted to join in 2013

In the summer of 2013 Suarez started to get linked with a move away with the club not participating in either European competitions.

Arsenal famously made a bid of £40,000,000.01, which they believed would trigger Suarez's release clause, which in turn prompted this tweet from the club's owner John Henry.

Speaking about the deal to beIN Sports over the international break Wenger explained that Suarez was far closer to signing than people realised.

“He was very close (to signing for Arsenal). We had an agreement with the player. We had been wrongly advised that he had a clause, with a minimal clause, but we had an agreement with the player. You can ask him," Wenger said.

“I'm convinced he wanted to join us and then they sold him. They kept him one more year, improved his contract and promised to sell him the year later to a club abroad."

Wenger also had some harsh words for Suarez's behaviour on the field but praised the striker for gradually improving.

“It's not normal. You cannot accept that. He had some behaviours that were shocking but I think as well you don't see them anymore since two, three years.

“He got rid of all the things that were a handicap for him and today you don't see that anymore. He's still on borderline with what the strikers do well, you know, go down in the penalty box but you want that from an intelligent striker.

“Overall I think he got rid of all the rest and rightly so and he deserved to be punished before and now you don't even expect it anymore from him."​