Luis Suarez committed to Liverpool on Friday by signing a new long-term contract with the club.

The Uruguayan has been in stunning form for the Reds recently, after a turbulent summer in which he suggested the club had reneged on an agreement to sell him if they failed to qualify for the Champions League.

It had been expected that talks would continue throughout the season and the received wisdom was that the player would want to wait and see whether the Reds secured a Champions League place for next season, but the club confirmed yesterday that he had signed a new deal.

Suarez’s reward for committing himself to the Merseyside club until 2018 is believed to be a pay increase from £120,000-a-week to £200,000-a-week.

Suarez told the club’s official website: “Without doubt the backing I have received from the Liverpool fans has influenced my decision. I am so proud to represent them and go out to do my best for them every time I pull on the shirt.”

Liverpool did not specify the length of Suarez’s new deal, but it is expected to make the 26-year-old striker the best-paid player in the club’s history.

Suarez’s spell at Anfield has often been a controversial one after being handed two long-term bans, one for racially abusing Manchester United’s Patrice Evra and last season for biting Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic.

Suarez added: “I am delighted to have agreed a new deal with Liverpool and have my future secured for the long term. We have some great players and the team is growing and improving all the time. I believe I can achieve the ambitions of winning trophies and playing at the very highest level with Liverpool. My aim is to help get us there as quickly as possible.”

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers said Suarez had yet to reach his peak. He added: “This is fantastic news for everyone associated with the club — the team, the owners and most importantly the supporters.

“Luis is a world-class talent and securing his services is crucial for what we are trying to achieve here. What’s most important and most exciting is that, at just 26 years old, his best years are still ahead of him and we now know we’ll be seeing him reach that potential in a Liverpool shirt.”