I've given up on Suarez – Wenger

ARSENE WENGER has dismissed making a new bid for Luis Suarez this summer and will instead switch to an alternative list of strikers, including Mario Mandzukic, Jackson Martinez and Diego Costa. 

After initial interest in Gonzalo Higuain, Arsenal focused much of last summer's efforts on Suarez but had two bids turned down, including an offer of £40m plus £1 that they hoped would trigger a release clause. Arsenal return to Anfield tomorrow for the first time since that offer was angrily rejected and, with Suarez having signed a new contract, know they must pursue new options.

Despite Suarez's exceptional form – his 23 Premier League goals is more than Olivier Giroud, Mesut Ozil and Aaron Ramsey combined – Wenger is adamant that he does not regret missing out on the Uruguayan.

There was a slight hint, however, that he does have second-thoughts still about the departure to Manchester United of Robin van Persie.

"You sometimes have regrets when a player played for you, and scores goals or does well somewhere else," said Wenger. "He (Suarez) was never our player. It is just a situation that did not come off and that is it."

Asked if the situation could be revisited this summer, Wenger said: "At the moment, no."

Should Liverpool fail to qualify for the Champions League, the main summer interest for Suarez is expected to come from Real Madrid.

Arsenal is now scouting a lengthy list of other options. Mandzukic is likely to leave Bayern Munich this summer following their acquisition of Robert Lewandowski; Jackson Martinez is keen to leave Portugal for an English club following two highly successful seasons for Porto while Wenger still believes Schalke's Julian Draxler could be converted into a central striker.

Costa is most likely to join Chelsea, and has a release clause of £32m, while Arsenal will also take a keen interest in the future of any leading English-based strikers who become available, notably Edin Dzeko, Wayne Rooney, Javier Hernandez or perhaps even Van Persie.

For Liverpool tomorrow, only Arsenal have kept a clean sheet this season when the Premier League's most potent strike combination have played together, and controlling the midfield, says Wenger, will be the best means of negating Suarez and Daniel Sturridge.

"The key for us is to dominate the game and leave them as few balls as possible," said Wenger. "At Liverpool, the task might be a bit more difficult than it was at home, but the philosophy on our side has to be the same: To master the ball and to have the ball and to dominate the game."

Mikel Arteta and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain have been cleared to face Liverpool, but Jack Wilshere is a doubt and faces a fitness test today.