No rush for Suarez contract talks – Ayre

Liverpool are not panicking over holding contract talks with Luis Suarez, according to the clubs managing director Ian Ayre, the Express understands.

The 26 year old, who looked set to leave Anfield in the summer, has seamlessly slotted back in to the Reds first team having missed ten games through suspension, scoring three goals in his last two league matches.

Both Arsenal and Real Madrid have been linked with fresh bids for the Uruguay international when the transfer window reopens in January, though Ayre is confident the club will be able to secure his services for the foreseeable future.

Meanwhile, England striker Wayne Rooney has said that Steven Gerrard should have been handed the national captaincy sooner, according to the Telegraph.

The Reds skipper is set to lead his country into two crucial World Cup qualifiers that could make or break their chances of playing at next summer’s tournament in Brazil.

The 33 year old wore the armband for the first time in 2004 in a match against Sweden, the only time he did so under the stewardship of former coach Sven-Goran Erikkson, while under his successor Steve McLaren, he wore it five times in sixteen games.

He was used as skipper fairly regularly under Fabio Capello following John Terry’s off-field indiscretions and has held the position in every game in which he has started since a draw with USA in June 2010.