TRANSFER: Barca to open Suarez transfer negotiation
Liverpool on Wednesday over a deal for
Reds striker Luis Suarez.
Officials from both clubs will meet in London
to discuss a deal for the 27-year-old
Uruguay international.
Suarez, who has four years remaining on his
Liverpool contract, is serving a four-month
ban for biting Italy's Georgio Chiellini during
the World Cup.
Liverpool are likely to accept an offer of
£80m for Suarez, who joined for £22.7m
from Ajax in 2011.
However, Barcelona are understood to want
to pay closer to £60m.
Any deal may depend on whether Barcelona
can include Chile and Barcelona winger
Alexis Sanchez in part-exchange for Suarez.
Liverpool are pragmatic about Suarez's
ambitions and are aware that he would
welcome a move to Spain and particularly to
Barcelona.
It is not yet clear whether Sanchez would be
willing to move in part-exchange, although
the Spanish club would be willing to include
him in a deal.
Suarez apologised on Monday for biting
Chiellini, after which Barcelona sporting
director Andoni Zubizarreta said: "Suarez
has shown he is humble enough to admit an
error, which is very important.
"Everyone knows Luis is an excellent player,
everyone knows last season he played in
various positions in attack, but everyone
also knows he is a Liverpool player."
Croatia midfielder Ivan Rakitic, who
completed his move to Barcelona from
Sevilla on Tuesday, also praised Suarez.
He said: "The fact he has had the character
and the strength to go in front of everyone
and say sorry says a lot about him as a
person.
"Not every person has that strength to admit
they have done something stupid.
"Regardless of whether the club signs him or
not, his quality is unquestionable."
Italy defender Giorgio
Chiellini claimed he was
bitten by Suarez after the two
clashed in the area
Chiellini pulled down his
shirt to display what appear
to be bite marks on his
shoulder.
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