Barcelona reaches agreement for Suarez
Print Edition
BARCELONA reached an agreement with Liverpool on the transfer of Luis Suarez yesterday, giving the troubled striker a chance to rehabilitate his image when his latest biting ban is over. Suarez will travel to Barcelona next week for a medical and to sign a five-year contract.
“It is with a heavy heart that I leave Liverpool for a new life and new challenges in Spain,” Suarez said in a statement.
“Me and my family have fallen in love with this club and with the city. We will always be Liverpool supporters.
“This club did all they could to get me to stay, but playing and living in Spain, where my wife’s family live, is a lifelong dream and ambition. I believe now the timing is right.”
The Uruguay international is prevented from any involvement in football until the end of October after being handed a four-month suspension by FIFA for biting an Italian opponent at the World Cup in Brazil. He lost his appeal to FIFA on Thursday.
But Barcelona had no qualms in bolstering its strike force with the footballing pariah, in the hope he can help the team regain the Spanish title. The 27-year-old can’t train with Barcelona teammates under the terms of his ban for biting Giorgio Chiellini in Uruguay’s group stage match against Italy.
Barcelona will be hoping Suarez brings his goal-scoring form to the Camp Nou — he scored 31 in the Premier League last season — rather than the hot-headed temperament.
When Suarez is eventually eligible to play again, Barcelona will be able to deploy a formidable front line including Lionel Messi and Neymar, as the club rebuilds under new coach Luis Enrique after its first season without a major trophy in six years.
Suarez’s transfer marks the second successive year that the man voted English football’s top player by his fellow professionals and journalists moved to Spain. Gareth Bale made an immediate impact after joining Real Madrid from Tottenham, making up for La Liga disappointment by winning the Champions League.
Suarez’s transfer was a far smoother, less drawn-out saga compared with Bale’s move, and his own tactics last summer when Liverpool prevented its star from leaving Anfield.
“We would like to thank Luis for his contribution and the role he played in helping bring Champions League football back to Anfield,” Liverpool said in a statement on its website.
Earlier, Barcelona’s Chilean World Cup striker Alexis Sanchez agreed to join Arsenal on Thursday on a long-term contract for a reported fee of around 35 million pounds (US$60 million). Sanchez, 25, made a total of 88 appearances, scoring 39 goals during his three seasons with the Catalan side.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
