T

he English Premier League'€™s Liverpool Football Club is planning to sign new players and to retain its controversial forward Luis Suarez, according to the club'€™s business development director.

'€œWe will sign new players. We are looking for the best players we can get around the world,'€ Jonathan Kane told The Jakarta Post in an interview on Thursday.

'€œIn terms of Luiz Suarez, he is a Liverpool player and he is still on contract. He is not for sale,'€ he said.

Kane is in Jakarta in relation to the club'€™s planned world pre-season tour next month, Jakarta being one of its three stops.

Suarez, who was recruited by the club in 2011 from Ajax, was recently reported to have expressed his intention to not return to Anfield after the Confederations Cup, which will start this week. Real Madrid reportedly expressed its interest in bringing him to Bernabeu.

Liverpool will play Indonesia XI on July 20. The team will continue its tour to Australia for the second game on July 24 before heading to Bangkok for a third on July 28.

Asked whether or not Suarez would be on the tour, Kane said: '€œIf he is available ... yes.'€

Kane said the team was looking forward to the tour, which will mark the club'€™s first visit to Indonesia.

'€œWe are looking forward to a great game and atmosphere in Jakarta,'€ he said, adding that the club'€™s past stars such as Robbie Fowler and Ian Rush would be part of the team'€™s entourage.

Community activities, including coaching clinics and school visits, has been arranged for the players.

'€œWe are fully committed to developing soccer in Indonesia. We have a soccer academy here. We recognize there is a lot of talent here. Hopefully one day we find a good soccer player in Indonesia,'€ he said.

Indonesia is known to have a large Liverpool fan base.

While the players can practice their skills, the tour is expected to bring commercial merit.

'€œIt'€™s about time that we bring fans closer to the players and the club. At the same time, it'€™s a pre-season tour. It'€™s time to get the players ready for the new season.

'€œWe are fortunate to have global fans. That helps our sponsors communicate with our supporters. Hopefully those supporters choose our sponsoring brands,'€ Kane said.

Liverpool is known as one of the world'€™s great clubs. It has won the European Cup five times and league 18 times. However, it'€™s last league title came more that two decades ago. Last season, it finished in seventh place behind crosstown rival Everton.

Kane said that the club was looking forward to the next season.

'€œWe have seen lots of improvement from previous seasons. We are scoring more goals, creating more chances and getting more possessions. Hopefully, this season will be brilliant for Liverpool,'€ he said.