The former Reds winger has urged the club to sell the wantaway striker because there is no way of guaranteeing his commitment to the side should he remain at Anfield

Former Liverpool midfielder John Barnes says the club should aim to sell Luis Suarez as soon as possible.

Goal revealed that the striker is preparing to hand in a formal transfer request in order to secure a move to Arsenal, who submitted an improved £42 million bid for the Uruguay international last week.

Barnes has urged the club to sort out the striker’s future quickly because he fears they will have no time to find and secure an adequate replacement should he leave.

“We’ve seen in the past when transfers go down to the last minute that it doesn’t help anybody, especially for a club like Liverpool who, if they lose Suarez, would have to find a big-name replacement,” he told talkSPORT.

“I’d like it to be done sooner rather than later because if it goes down to the last day, and you then have to go and get somebody, it’s not ideal.

“As far as Suarez is concerned, if he’s not going to be happy, then he has to go.

“We can all say, ‘yes, we think Suarez is going to be a player like Carlos Tevez, who gives 100 per cent no matter what’ but we don’t know what his mental state is going to be if he doesn’t get his wish [to leave the club].”

The Portuguese side’s coach was cagey when asked about a move for the Brazilian youngster, while his agent has all but ruled out a deal with Arsenal

Porto coach Paulo Fonseca has refused to comment on growing speculation that Atletico Mineiro attacker Bernard is set to complete a transfer to the Portugese champions.

Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham have all been linked with the 20-year-old in recent weeks, but a move to the Premier League has become unlikely after the player’s agent, Adriano Spodato, admitted he would like his client to move to Portugal.

But after rumours that Porto would announce a deal before their friendly against Celta on Sunday proved unfounded, Fonseca was keen not to give too much away.

“I don’t have any information about Bernard,” he told reporters. “I only speak about the players who are here. I don’t know if he is coming and I will not speak about somebody not in the squad.”

Spodato had claimed over the weekend that a move to a big European club such as Arsenal would be too risky, and expects things to become clearer in the coming days.

“I can confirm that the possibility [of joining Porto] is strong, but there is Shakhtar Donetsk, too,” he told Mais Futebol. “It should be between those [clubs]. On Monday or Tuesday there should be something more concrete.

“If it was up to me, Bernard would be a Porto player. I told him that this is the best way.

“It is preferable to enter a medium, but good, European club, rather than risk a top club and have no space to play. Indeed, Bernard is very interested in going to Porto.”

And Bernard’s father, Delio Duarte, also admitted that his son has his heart set on Porto after speaking to compatriot and former Dragao Hulk.

“He wants to continue his career at a club like Porto,” Duarte told O Jogo. “He dreams of that. Bernard is Hulk’s friend, they became very close in the national squad and they talked about this.

“Hulk spoke highly of the club and [Bernard] was convinced it would be a safe bet for this stage of his career.”

The Spaniard revealed the Reds hierarchy accepted Napoli’s loan offer without consulting him, and insists he was willing to extend his contract if Barcelona made no offer

Pepe Reina has claimed that he was forced out of Liverpool after agreeing to join Napoli on a season-long loan.

With Brendan Rodgers electing to make new signing Simon Mignolet his first-choice goalkeeper ahead of the coming campaign, the Spaniard signed a temporary deal with the Serie A club this month.

Reina had been widely expected to return to Barcelona ahead of the transfer window, but a proposed switch failed to materialise after Victor Valdes opted to see out the final year of his contract at Camp Nou.

And though Reina admits he would have liked to move to the Catalan club, he insists he was happy to remain at Anfield when that offer did not arrive.

“If I have one regret, it is the way that I am leaving,” he wrote in an open letter to Liverpool’s supporters.

“It is only natural that I would be disappointed that the Liverpool management agreed to loan me to Napoli without telling me first, I thought that I deserved better than that even though I understand that difficult decisions have to be taken in football.

“A lot has been made about me informing the club that if an offer came in from Barcelona that I would have liked them to consider it. But I had also spoken to the club about the possibility of extending my contract if the offer was not made.

“I told the manager that I wanted to play for Liverpool and that Barcelona would only become an option for me if the opportunity arrived, like the rumours said it would, as it would be a chance for me to go back home.”

The 30-year-old also had kind words for the Merseyside club’s loyal support, insisting they are “unique” in world football.

“[Playing for Liverpool] has given me an understanding of what it is like to play for the most wonderful English club,” he added.

“I may not have won as many trophies and medals as I would have liked since joining in 2005 but the experiences I have been a part of are as important as any silverware.

“I now understand how supporters can lift a team and inspire them to do special things. I appreciate that there is something unique about Anfield and the atmosphere it creates.”

Reina has made 394 appearances for Liverpool since his arrival from Villarreal in 2005, keeping 176 clean sheets in that time.