LONDON: Liverpool's Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez has declared that he will not leave the club even if they fail to qualify for the Champions League this season.

Brendan Rodgers' side are currently seven points below the top four and look destined for a fourth consecutive season without a place among Europe's elite.

Suarez has enjoyed a fine campaign and is currently the Premier League's second-highest scorer with 17 goals, but he says he has no desire to look elsewhere.

“I will wait until the end of the season and see how we are doing,” he told Friday's edition of British newspaper the Daily Mail.

“We won't know until then how we are doing and what our position is, so I am prepared to wait until that time.

“But I want to say now that, if you want to know what will happen to me if we don't qualify for the Champions League, then I will say this: I have a contract with Liverpool and I am very happy here. I will stay.”

Suarez also spoke in praise of Liverpool manager Rodgers, who has consistently backed the striker amid a spate of controversial incidents this season.

The former Ajax striker has received criticism for diving this season and was also responsible for scoring a contentious winning goal in an FA Cup tie at non-league Mansfield Town after blocking the ball with his hand.

“I have much to thank Brendan for and he knows how much I appreciate this,”said Suarez.

“He always praises me in public and that helps me a lot. It takes some pressure off me.

“This is really a great club. From being a young boy, people want to play here. That's why I came here. It's a dream come true.

“You can ask my friends and my brothers and they will tell you. Four or five years ago, I always played as Liverpool when I was on the PlayStation. Of course I used to win all the matches. In real life, it's harder.”