Liverpool striker Luis Suárez admits interest in Real Madrid transfer

Real are one of the few clubs with the means to activate a release clause in the Uruguayan's contract, believed to be in excess of £40m. Liverpool have repeatedly stated that their leading goalscorer is not for sale, a stance reiterated by Brendan Rodgers only last week, but they fear Suárez may request a move in search of Champions League football.

Those concerns deepened on Wednesday when Suárez gave the clearest signal yet that he is prepared to leave Anfield following another turbulent season in English football. The 26-year-old scored 30 goals for Liverpool last season but collected a 10-match ban for biting Branislav Ivanovic, a suspension that will apply to the first six games of next season and which has left him considering his future in England.

In an interview with the Uruguayan radio station 890 Sport, Suárez said: "I love Liverpool, but if there is a chance of playing somewhere else ... I suffered too much as a kid to get where I am to be attacked unfairly by the English press. They haven't appreciated me as a player, they've just judged my attitude, Kazinform refers to theguardian.co.uk

"I'm happy at Liverpool, I'm happy because of the fans. I made a mistake, I'm human, but [the press] talked about me in ways they shouldn't have. My family have suffered and things got out of hand. My daughter and my wife have suffered. I'm not prepared to continue to put up with the English press."

Asked about Real, he said: "I've talked to my agent, there's nothing concrete. To say no to Madrid would always be difficult and more so with the team they have," Suarez added. "I have a contract with Liverpool, but it would be very difficult to say no to Real Madrid. There are a lot of rumours in the transfer period, but you never know until firm offers are made.

"I've talked to the coach [Rodgers], and he knows what I want. He was a player. Some of the players understand my situation - enough said." He added that Liverpool ahve treated him well and he had "only words of thanks for the fans".

Real Madrid's president Florentino Pérez was played clip of the Suárez interview by a Spanish radio station and then said: "Well, Suarez is a great player, like [Edinson] Cavani, [Robert] Lewandowski ... We can't talk about players from other clubs but if you ask me if I like Luis Suárez then, yes."