Brendan Rodgers: Luis Suarez is very much part of the group at Liverpool

Brendan Rodgers (L) and Luis Suarez

Brendan Rodgers has said that Luis Suarez is very much part of the Liverpool side and he wants him to remain fully involved in the pre-season.

The unsettled Uruguayan has been a subject of immense speculation this summer with Arsenal having two of their bids already rejected while Real Madrid are also believed to be interested in signing the 26-year-old.

Rodgers said: “He has still got some way to go. He is a number of weeks behind the other players.

“I also have to consider that our focus over the course of pre-season is for the first game [of the Premier League] and Luis will not be available for the first game.

“But it is important he is very much part of the group.

“He is working hard on his conditioning and over the course of time as he gets closer to playing we will build him up to more minutes on the field.”