Real to bid for Suarez?

Real Madrid are lining up a £43m bid for Luis Suarez in January, the Express understands.

Liverpool insist that the Uruguay international is not for sale, after managing to keep hold of the player throughout the summer, when he was expected to move on.

Arsenal were the only club to have table a bid for the 26 year old, though both of their offers, including one for £40m and a pound, were rejected out of hand.

Real are thought to be Suarez’s preferred option, though they did not make their interest known during the summer, however, reports in Spain have suggested that they will make an offer when the transfer window reopens.

The Spanish giants, who recently completed a world record purchase of Gareth Bale for Tottenham Hotspur for £86m, are also said to be interested in signing Radamel Falcao, who moved to Monaco in just three months ago.

Elsewhere, former Reds boss Roy Evans has admitted that the club were once close to signing Gabriel Batistuta, the Metro understand.

The Argentinian, who scored 56 goals in 78 appearances for his country, and was prolific in Serie A for Fiorentina and Roma, was lined up to partner Robbie Fowler whilst Evans was in charge.