Will Luis Suarez decide to leave Liverpool?

The Uruguayan, who is Liverpool‘s only fit striker, joined the club on a 5-and-a-half-year deal from Ajax in January 2011, becoming the club’s most expensive signing at a transfer fee of £22.8 million, albeit only for a few hours when the Reds bought Andy Carroll for a staggering £35 million.

The prolific striker is currently being linked with a January move to Premier League champions Manchester City, but both Suarez and City manager Roberto Mancini have quashed such rumours.

Suarez had an astonishing goal scoring record at Ajax, scoring 111 goals in 159 appearances in all competitions for the Dutch side. He was bought in to replace the outbound Fernando Torres, who had mesmerized one and all with his amazing ability in front of goal.

For me, loyalties aside, Torres was the best striker in the world during his prime at Liverpool. Had he not been injured for a crucial period in the 2008-09 season when the Reds finished second behind leaders Manchester United, I believe Liverpool would have won the league.

From that season on, Liverpool have only gone backwards. Even though I was gutted to see Torres depart for Chelsea, I can’t honestly say that I was surprised. The sales of key players like Xabi Alonso, Javier Mascherano and the ill fated reign of ex-owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks forced Torres to look for a club which were challenging to win top honours. And even though he hasn’t enjoyed the same form which made him the most feared striker in the Premier League, he has done what he intended to do by winning the Champions League and FA Cup with the Blues.

As a Liverpool fan, I have to admit I am a bit worried that the thought of leaving the Reds for a ‘bigger club’ has crossed Suarez’s mind. Without Suarez this season, Liverpool would probably be in the relegation zone. Let’s face it, Liverpool are 13th in the league with only one fit striker. They have a new manager trying to instill his own brand of tiki-taka football. They do not have the squad depth to challenge for major honours and they will, in all likelihood, not be playing in Europe next season.

A top class player like Suarez, who I believe has an eye for goal which is illustrated by the fact the he is the joint top scorer with 8 goals, would want to play with top players and win major trophies, which is currently not viable at Liverpool.

Suarez, who signed a new long-term contract in August, has come out and insisted he is happy at Liverpool but the Reds will need to show much more ambition in the winter transfer window and buy quality players to challenge for the Champions League places next season.

Otherwise, like Torres, Suarez will soon realize leaving Liverpool will be the only option to challenge for major trophies.