Liverpool managing director Ian Ayre has compared returning striker's Luis Suarez's rehabilitation during his ten-match ban for biting Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic to teaching a 'naughty kid the error of his ways'.
Ayre also expressed confidence that contract negotiations with the Uruguayan international over a new deal will start next summer.
According to the Guardian, Suarez, who returned to first-team action on Wednesday in the Capital One Cup, has three years remaining on his existing contract.
Although Ayre compared Suarez to a 'naughty kid', he however, said that Suarez has responded well to 'work on his character' since his ban, which followed an eight-match ban in 2011 after the FA found him guilty of racially abusing Manchester United's Patrice Evra.
Stating that Liverpool will always consider any 'stepping out of the line' as an issue as the club is a 'huge tradition', Ayre further said that Suarez has been made to see the error of his ways just like naughty children, although he admitted that Suarez's controversial behaviour has done damage to the club's brand.
But Ayre hailed manager Brendan Rodgers for his efforts over Suarez, saying that Suarez responded excellently and was supportive of the process, which was mostly overseen by Rodgers, and is now committed to putting things right.
