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Liverpool to Madrid: "And Don't Call Back!"

With rumours of a late Real Madrid bid for Luis Suarez refusing to go away, about the only thing everybody seems clear on is that Liverpool aren't in a selling mood.

Chris Brunskill

Despite Liverpool's unceasing insistence that Luis Suarez will not be sold this summer, speculation of a late bid by Real Madrid in the £40-50M range to bring the striker to Spain alongside Gareth Bale simply won't go away. Perhaps simply because most watching have been working under the assumption Suarez would leave from the moment he tried to take a bit out of Branislav Ivanovic and Madrid on deadline day represents the last, best hope for that inevitability to come to pass—at least until January rolls around.

Mesut Ozil's imminent sale to Arsenal for upwards of £40M along with the most speculative of rumours suggesting Liverpool are preparing to launch a late bid for Chelsea's Juan Mata will only strengthen the Suarez talk. However, sources close to Liverpool remain insistent the player is not for sale, and that with his importance to the club in footballing terms there isn't a fee high enough to pry him away this late in the window.

Spanish football expert Guillem Balague has now provided some insight into the Real Madrid side of any Luis Suarez discussion by confirming on Sky Sports Radio that the last time Madrid inquired, Liverpool not only told them they weren't interested in selling Suarez at this stage—they flat out told the Spanish giants "to not call back."

This follows on from earlier statements by the Times' Tony Barrett and other journalists with close ties to Anfield that sources inside Liverpool weren't expecting a late approach from Madrid for the dramatic Uruguayan and wouldn't be welcoming of any if that situation changed. Still, at this stage few will be surprised to keep hearing Suarez whispers right up until the window closes at 11PM BST.

If they're tied to whispers about Juan Mata heading in while Suarez heads out, some might even welcome them.

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