The real reason Luis Suarez never joined Arsenal from Liverpool in 2013 summer transfer window

Arsenal have been dogged by the infamous bid of £40 million and one pound for Luis Suarez six years ago.

The story goes that the Gunners thought they had activated the then-Liverpool hot-shot's release clause which meant they could discuss personal terms with the Uruguayan.

Suarez was on the brink at Anfield, with a conviction for racially abusing Patrice Evra and a second biting scandal tainting his CV at Liverpool.

Arsenal decided they would make a move for the current Barcelona striker and bid for the forward hoping to tempt him to the Emirates Stadium and keep him in English football.

Now former Arsenal 'transfer fixer' Dick Law has discussed that episode, which prompted Reds owner John W Henry to tweet: “What do you think they're smoking over there at Emirates?” when he found out the news.

Law told Goal: "That spring, news got round to us that Suarez wanted out of Liverpool.

"We got information that showed us what was negotiated between Liverpool and the player, and in our internal conversations decided that the clause was meaningless, that it was not a buy-out and it didn’t obligate Liverpool to do anything apart from have a conversation.

"So, whoever agreed to that clause in the Suarez camp was being less than clever because it was never a buy-out.

"What there was, was an obligation to discuss a transfer if a threshold was met and that threshold was £40m.

Laurent Koscielny takes on Luis Suarez during the UEFA Champions League round of 16 match between FC Barcelona and Arsenal on March 16, 2015 (VI Images via Getty Images)

“Now, we didn’t know if Liverpool received an offer of £40m whether they would say, 'that’s not more than £40m'. We could have gone with £45m, but the point is we knew there was never a buy-out.

“So, it was never going to be a bid of £40m+1, it was always going to be the start of a negotiation.”

Suarez went on to net 31 goals in the Premier League the following season despite missing the first five games. He departed Liverpool and England the following summer for Barcelona. So it's very much a case of what might have been for Law.

“It would have been one hell of a signing,’ Law added. “But Suarez and his agent didn’t want to force the move when it just came down to brass tacks."