So Luis Suarez has signed a new, big-money contract at Anfield. As recently as August he was desperately trying to leave the club, but it seems all has now been forgiven. And why not? The Uruguay striker has been winning over Liverpool fans and neutrals alike with some staggering displays for his club this season.

Despite missing the first five games of the season through suspension (for biting Branislav Ivanovic, in case you’ve forgotten), he is the Premier League’s top goalscorer with 17 goals from just 11 games.

Liverpool did not release many details of the new contract, but they did say it was “long-term”. So Suarez is staying, right?

Not necessarily. Some suggest this new deal is merely keeping Suarez happy for the short-term and ensuring a massive transfer fee should one of Europe’s richest clubs enter the picture at the end of the season.

We’ve collected the thoughts of two Liverpool fans and of Goal readers in general, to see just what this bumper contract means.

Is Suarez’s new contract necessarily good news for Liverpool?

YES

Naazim Macci: The news of Luis Suarez signing a new long-term deal at Liverpool brings huge excitement to all the fans. The player is world class and has shown great hunger to be the best and a new deal is nothing short of what he deserves.

After the transfer saga in the summer linking him away from Anfield, fans were beginning to become frustrated but Liverpool supporters will always remain loyal.

His talent is second to none in England, something he’s shown by scoring 17 goals so far this campaign and firing the club to second place, giving fans hope of maybe a first title challenge since 2008-09.

The new contract can show Liverpool’s return to the big stage. However, this can only be achieved by gaining a Champions League spot. European football is certainly high priority, with us having been out of the frame for so long.

 
The new contract makes him the highest-paid players in the club’s history, which again showing the club’s loyalty to the player.

Fans can now dream of the future – and hope the glory days can finally return to Anfield.

NO

Even though I’m an avid Liverpool fan, the news of him signing a new contract doesn’t necessarily mean he will stay over the next few years.

In my opinion all this has done has kept Luis sweet by rewarding him an increase in his wages.

This time his new contract will certainly have a buy-out clause. Luis was under the impression he already had one when Arsenal were sniffing about, but this time he would have made sure a concrete price has been set and, should he want out, all a team would have to do is offer the set amount for his services.

Both club and player will benefit from this deal as it ensures that Liverpool can hold on to their star performer – if we continue to match his ambition in the Premier League.

If this is not the case and we don’t finish in the top four he will only leave for a figure which I can only imagine would be something above the £60m mark. 

MAYBE

Goal ran a poll on Friday asking readers if Suarez’s new deal meant the controversial Uruguayan would be sticking around at Anfield for the long-term. In a nice contrast two our two Liverpool fans, it seems you cannot make your minds up.

While 27.5 per cent of you say this has put an end to question marks over his future, and 17.1% say the contract means nothing and he will definitely leave this summer, the majority are not entirely sure.

The prevailing view, with 55.4% of the votes, is that Suarez’s future now depends on where Liverpool finish this season; if they finish in the top four then the Uruguayan will be staying.

Luis Suarez celebrated his new contract by firing Liverpool to the top of the Premier League as a first-half blitz saw off Cardiff City at Anfield.

Suarez volleyed in Jordan Henderson’s dinked cross to put the home side ahead on 25 minutes, then unselfishly squared when put clean through for Raheem Sterling to double their advantage.

The Uruguayan latched onto Henderson’s backheel to curl a superb third past David Marshall just before half-time and, though Jordon Mutch pulled one back for the visitors after the break, the damage was done.

VIEW FROM ANFIELD

By Jonathan Birchall The air of inevitability that met Luis Suarez’s opener was only matched when the striker bagged a second, and an assist, at Anfield this afternoon. His new deal on Friday had the Kop high in festive spirits from kick-off and the party atmosphere didn’t die down despite the visitors’  brave second-half showing. If this does prove to be Malky Mackay’s final game as Cardiff City manager, onlooking owner Vincent Tan cannot question the players’ devotion to their boss. The Bluebirds battled on for him after a testing week but today, inevitably, belonged to Suarez and his team-mates.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Brendan Rodgers made no changes to the Liverpool side that beat Tottenham 5-0 on Sunday. Suarez retained the captaincy after scoring eight goals in his previous three games.

The visitors made just one change from their 1-0 success over West Brom, with Aron Gunnarsson replacing Fraizer Campbell, who dropped to the bench.

Suarez was first to threaten with a shot that clipped David Marshall’s side netting after two minutes as the hosts applied early pressure.

Craig Noone had Cardiff’s first effort, forcing a save from Simon Mignolet following a quick counter after 16 minutes.

However, Suarez eventually broke Cardiff’s resolve when he produced a superb volleyed finish to Henderson’s cross, capping off a magnificent team goal.

Liverpool came close to doubling their advantage seven minutes before the interval when John Flanagan almost turned a Glen Johnson cross past Marshall from a tight angle.

Sterling added the second with his third goal in four games, tapping Suarez’s pass into an open net, before the Uruguay international again struck to put the game beyond Cardiff.

After a neat backheel from Henderson, Suarez curled an effort past Marshall and into the right-hand corner of the net for his 19th goal in 12 matches.

Following a low-key start to the second half, Mutch pulled a goal back for the visitors – heading home unmarked from Peter Whittingham’s delivery after 58 minutes.

It ended a run of 498 minutes without an away Premier League goal for Cardiff, who were much improved after the interval.

But a comeback never looked likely and Suarez was only denied a hat-trick by the width of a post as the hosts climbed to the top of the Premier League.

The Uruguayan signed a new “long-term” contract at Anfield on Friday but it includes the option for him to leave for a set price should one of Europe’s biggest clubs show interest

EXCLUSIVE
By Wayne Veysey | UK Correspondent

Luis Suarez has a buy-out clause in his new Liverpool contract which allows him to be sold to an overseas club from next summer.

The precise release figure, which can only be triggered by a non-English club, is unknown but sources anticipate it is in the region of €71-84 million.

Suarez signed a four-and-a-half year contract on Friday that is worth £200,000-a-week plus bonuses as Liverpool moved quickly to tie down the outstanding player in this season’s Premier League ahead of the January window.

Both parties were keen to avoid a repeat of last summer’s transfer saga, when confusion reigned in the player’s camp over whether he could leave after Arsenal bid £40m-plus-£1 for him.

Goal understands that Suarez and his agent Pere Guardiola were keen to obtain a watertight agreement that the striker could leave if Liverpool should again fail to qualify for the Champions League.

The Merseysiders, on their part, wanted to ensure the Uruguayan cannot sign for another English club without their consent.

The new buy-out clause allows some leeway for Suarez should his sensational personal form not be matched by the progress of Brendan Rodgers’ team in the second half of the season.

Suarez, who had two-and-a-half years remaining on his previous contract, claimed he will honour his long-term commitment to Liverpool. “It’s nice because when you extend your contract, you extend it because you want to stay here for the future,” said the striker, who turns 28 in January.

“I signed not only for two-and-a-half more years, but I signed for a long time to stay here and I am so happy. When you are happy, you try everything for the best for the future. I spoke a lot with my family because my family are very important to me and they are happy here. We spoke over the last few weeks with the club and everything is OK. I don’t have a problem; the club don’t have a problem, so it’s very good.”

The timing of the deal, which was sealed following swift negotiations between Guardiola and Ian Ayre, Liverpool’s managing director, in Barcelona this week, is instructive.

Real Madrid were preparing to lay the foundations for a concerted move for Suarez in January, even though it was always more likely that he woukd remain at Anfield until the end of the season.

Suarez has scored a remarkable 17 league goals in 11 games since returning from suspension on 25 September.

He added: “I believe I can achieve the ambitions of winning trophies and playing at the very highest level with Liverpool. My aim is to help get us there as quickly as possible.”

Liverpool’s America-based owners Fenway Sports Group have previously been reluctant to extend contracts mid-season but moved quickly to secure the services of Suarez with a contract that comfortably makes him the best-paid player in the club’s history.

Principal owner John W Henry said: “We are committed to working hard to keep our best players and this is an indication that we are moving in the right direction and moving at a pace that impresses one of the best players in world football.”