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Kop legend Phil Thompson is confident the impending departure of Luis Suarez won’t derail Liverpool FC's resurgence under the guidance of Brendan Rodgers.

The Uruguayan striker’s three-and-a-half year stay at Anfield looks set to end as Barcelona close in on a potential £75million deal.

Thompson admits the sale of last season’s Footballer of the Year, who walked away with the Golden Boot after netting 31 Premier League goals, would leave a huge void.

However, the former Anfield skipper and assistant boss says history shows that losing such a key figure is rarely the devastating setback it may appear to be at the time.

“From speaking to supporters, I think it’s the younger element of our fanbase who are particularly upset about the prospect of Luis Suarez going to Barcelona,” Thompson told the ECHO.

“They are more ready and willing to forgive and forget everything he’s done. I do sympathise with that as Suarez is the star player.

“Of course if he went there would be a big gap to fill. He either scored or was involved in 43% of our goals last season.

“As a fan you wonder where the next star is going to come from? But what I would say is that this football club has a habit of producing them.

“Liverpool Football Club is bigger than any individual. Players will always move on but this club will still be here in another 100 years time.”

Thompson admits there are parallels with the summer of 1977 when Kevin Keegan walked away from Anfield and joined Hamburg for £500,000.

Fans feared the consequences of his exit but Bob Paisley snapped up Kenny Dalglish from Celtic and the Reds flourished.

“Back in my day I remember when Roger Hunt and Ian St John were coming to the end of their playing days,” Thompson recalled.

“There was a slight lull and then Kevin Keegan came along in 1971. He enjoyed worldwide acclaim and was a big success.

“He gave the club 12 months notice that he would be going but people were angry about losing Kevin.

“They were saying ‘why would he want to leave? And how would the club cope?’ Low and behold, the club came up with Kenny as his replacement.

“Kenny made a massive impact and took us to an even higher level. Over the years, Liverpool have been fortunate enough to have a succession of top-class strikers.

“After Kenny, Ian Rush came along, after Rushie there was Robbie Fowler, then Michael Owen, then Fernando Torres and then Luis Suarez.”

Fernando Torres wrecked his Anfield legacy by putting in a transfer request to force through a £50million move to Chelsea on the final day of the January window in 2011.

However, Thompson believes if Suarez does complete his switch to Barcelona, he will be remembered more fondly.

“With Torres it was different because for 18 months before he left it looked like he wanted pastures new,” he said. “You couldn’t ever accuse Suarez of not putting in a shift. He’s the ultimate warrior and nothing fazes him. I always go back to that League Cup tie at Exeter City in 2011. I thought it was strange he was playing that night but he wanted to be out there and he ran them ragged – not just with the ball but without it too.

“Yes, he tried to get a move last summer but once he accepted that Liverpool weren’t prepared to sell, then he gave us everything and produced the best season of his career.

“Torres went to Chelsea but if Suarez goes it will be to Spain and that certainly softens the blow. His wife’s family live in Barcelona so you can understand it.

“I think a lot of Liverpool fans realise it’s probably best for everyone. You can’t keep going down this line every transfer window.”

Suarez’s breathtaking talent lit up Anfield last term but Thompson insists if he moves on he can’t be regarded as the greatest in the club’s history.

“This is one of the debates fans are having and I was speaking to a good friend of mine who says Suarez is the best Liverpool player he has ever seen,” he said. “But I don’t think you can put him ahead of Kenny Dalglish and Steven Gerrard. They are still ahead of Suarez for me.

“I think you have to take into consideration how many years someone has spent at the club and what they’ve won.

“Yes, Suarez is one of the greatest I’ve ever seen pull on a red shirt but he needed to stay longer for true greatness.”

Thompson, who believes Suarez should command a fee of at least £80million, admits what happened at Tottenham last summer should act as a warning about the perils of reinvesting such a windfall.

Spurs banked around £85million for Real Madrid-bound Gareth Bale and went on to splash out £105million on seven players but trailed home in sixth place.

“I don’t think Suarez should leave for less than £80million,” Thompson said.

“This guy is far better than Gareth Bale. He gives you far more, particularly in the lesser games.

“If he goes to Barcelona they will find that against the lower teams, when a lot of players don’t turn up, he will be bang up for it.

“This has been coming. Some foreigners like Sami Hyypia come to the club and develop a strong attachment and don’t want to go elsewhere.

“But the reality is that most foreign players will only stay for a few years. Liverpool turned Suarez into a world class striker and will make a massive profit.

“We’ve got to spend it wisely. Spurs didn’t do that last year and struggled to compete for the top four.”

Thompson believes Rodgers’ methods – coupled with more quality new additions – will help the Reds to build on last term’s second-placed finish.

“This has been coming with Suarez and Brendan’s hands are tied,” he said. “The manager has done an excellent job and we’ve got to back him.

“We’re obviously going to miss Suarez’s goals but the quality and the style of our football won’t change.

“We’re moving in the right direction and if Suarez goes, there is still plenty to be positive about.”

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