If FSG know that there is a clause, JH surely wouldn't tweet such an emphatic rejection. That makes no sense. It would appear that the clause either does not exist OR is too loosely worded to function as Suarez believes - ie, again, it doesn't exist.
If there is no clause, we have to keep him for at least one more year.
Selling to a rival would be a disaster. If we can keep him and subsequently gain a top 4 finish and get through the prelims etc, our future, with or without Suarez, looks totally different. We can then look to recruit from the top table without having to pay silly money. I would sooner Suarez sulked on the bench than joined Arsenal. Depriving Arsenal of their top target is the most important aspect of the process. If we sell - even at £55M we'll not be able to replace him and the psychological impact on our squad may be seriously problematic.
When RVP left Arsenal they struggled to find any form, or impetus, for ages. I think that AW realises that if he succeeds in pulling LS from us, he'll remove us as a threat, completely - no matter how we re-invest. LS may not be bigger than the club BUT he is one of the best players in the world and can make a massive difference. The reason AW is looking at such a huge investment is because in making it, it will so damage a genuine rival as well as strengthening his team. The RVP experience will have taught him that.
The only way I'd sell Suarez to Arsenal, is if we can sign Bale (or Messi) as a replacement - which obviously is NOT going to happen.
I'd decline £60M if I were FSG. At the end of the day, if we sell Suarez to Arsenal, that leaves FSG as possibly more damaged than H and G. I think it would be difficult to have any belief in any plan they'd purport to have - and that would fatally effect our ability to sign players from here on. The viability of the whole FSG project is, to me, in the balance. If they see Arsenal off, on this one, it will be like signing a new player and will also punch a hole in Arsenal's plans.
I think we're going to find out just what kind of people FSG are. If they really are ambitious, they'll find a way of keeping LS for another season.
The Torres comparison doesn't stack up. Torres was not in any form when we sold him. LS leaving would be far more of a problem.