Barcelona striker Luis Suarez has reportedly agreed personal terms for a move to Atletico Madrid and the deal is expected to be announced in the coming days.
Luis Suarez has already accepted by days to join Atlético Madrid! He’s now parting ways with Barça to move on as a free agent.
This deal will be key for Àlvaro Morata > Juventus [Dzeko/Juve deal agreed but stalling because of Milik problems] ⚪️🔴 #FCB #Atleti @MatteMoretto
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) September 21, 2020
The Uruguay international was told by Ronald Koeman that he has no future at the club and he has subsequently played no part in all three pre-season games under the Dutchman.
With one year left on his current deal with the Blaugrana, the Uruguay international is demanding the full value of his contract to be paid to him and Barcelona are expected to pay the sum of €14m to enable him leave the club for free.
Luis Suarez was earlier linked with a move to Juventus and reportedly flew to Italy to get a passport but it appears the move has been called off, with the Turin giants turning to other alternatives.
Atletico Madrid transfer for Luis Suarez could prompt three-way move
Although they have agreed personal terms with Luis Suarez, Atletico Madrid still have several stumbling blocks to overcome, in their quest to sign the former Liverpool man.
Diego Simeone currently has an abundance of strikers available to him and he would have to cut down his attack to make space for Suarez.
It is believed that the 50-year-old is willing to let both Alvaro Morata and Diego Costa depart the club, with the two strikers having failed to make the most of opportunities afforded them in the last two years.
Morata scored just 16 goals in all competitions for Atletico last season and this is hardly ideal, considering the fact that the club paid over €50m to secure his services from Chelsea.
Diego Costa fared even worse and returned just five goals from 30 matches in all competitions and it came as no surprise that Los Colchoneros struggled for form with their misfiring forwards leading the line last season.
It has been reported that Juventus are currently in talks to sign Alvaro Morata on loan for the rest of the current campaign with an option to sign him permanently next year.
Juventus are now in talks with Atlético Madrid to sign Álvaro Morata! €10m loan + €45m buy option offered to Atlético.
Atléti are now seriously considering to sell Morata because Luis Suarez is close to be the new striker. He’s ready to leave #FCB as a free agent 🚨 @SkySport
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) September 21, 2020
This would see the Spain international return to Turin, having spent two successful seasons with the Italian champions in the past.
The Bianconeri currently need a new striker after Gonzalo Higuain departed Juventus for MLS side Inter Miami, although they are said to also be considering signing Eden Dzeko from fellow Serie A side AS Roma.
Dzeko is said to be Andrea Pirlo’s first-choice, but his arrival from the capital side is being held up by complications in the move for Arkadiusz Milik.
Roma are understandably adamant in their stand not to sell Dzeko until they can get a replacement and have begun negotiations with SSC Napoli over the transfer of the Poland international.
The arrival of Nigerian Victor Osimhen in Naples from Lille for a club-record fee has put Milik’s future in doubt but he remains committed to remaining at the Esatadio San Paolo to fight for his place.
For Luis Suarez to arrive Atletico Madrid, most of these transfers would have to be completed and there is also the matter of his hefty salary to consider.
The 33-year-old is currently one of the highest paid players in the world and takes home wages believed to be in the region of £400,000 weekly.
Atletico Madrid are not in the financial position to offer him such remuneration, much less in the current climate and Luis Suarez would probably have to take a pay-cut to facilitate the move.
The former Ajax man is understood to be keen on remaining in Spain, having acclimatized well in the country and a move to Atletico would enable him continue his legacy in LaLiga.
He has been in the Iberian nation since signing for Barcelona from Liverpool in 2014 and since then, he has gone on to become one of the greatest players in the club’s history.
His time at Camp Nou has seen him win 13 major trophies, while he is also the club’s third-highest goalscorer with 198 goals and 109 assists from 283 matches in all competitions.
He struck up a close friendship with Lionel Messi both on-and-off the field, while the pair’s partnership with Neymar is widely regarded as one of the best attacking trios in footballing history.
Despite scoring over 20 goals in each of the last two seasons, Suarez has come in for increased criticism in recent years, with his struggles on the continent playing a major role in Barcelona failing to lift the Champions League, while he has also struggled with injuries of late.
This, however, takes nothing from his immense abilities and despite turning 34 next January, Suarez remains a prime goalscorer of epic proportions.
Atletico Madrid have a recent history of lining up with great strikers, with the likes of Fernando Torres, Sergio Diego Forlan, Sergio Aguero, Radamel Falcao, Diego Costa, and David Vila all making their mark in the Spain capital.
If Luis Suarez can perform at the levels expected of him and stay injury-free, Atletico Madrid would fancy their chances of getting to the next level in their objectives.
