Sanchez holds up Barca move for Suarez
LUIS SUAREZ’S proposed transfer from Liverpool to Barcelona is being held up because his proposed replacement — Chile’s World Cup star Alexis Sanchez — is a wanted man across Europe.
Liverpool would like Sanchez in part-exchange for Suarez to soften the blow of losing their star player.
But the 25-year-old Chilean is interesting Serie A champions Juventus, as well as Arsenal, and currently considers them more attractive propositions than going to Anfield.
Barcelona have tried to persuade the winger to listen to Liverpool’s offer because it would help them get Suarez for a reduced price but the decision ultimately rests with the player.
The impasse means Suarez’s move to Barcelona could still take days or even weeks to complete if, as expected, Sanchez does not end up being part of the deal.
Liverpool are adamant that Barcelona will have to pay the full £70million buy-out clause for Suarez, which would make him the third most-expensive player in history.
But the Catalan club do not think they need to reach that figure and are £10m apart in their valuation.
Suarez’s desire to join Barca — his wife’s family live in the city — means he won’t agree to move to another club, reducing Liverpool’s chances of encouraging an auction.
And if the Anfield club stick to their guns and turn down Barcelona, they have the problem of rehabilitating the 27-year-old Uruguayan again.
Suarez is currently banned from all football activity for four months after biting Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup, losing him support even among diehard fans on The Kop.
A year ago, manager Brendan Rodgers successfully inspired Suarez to score 31 goals in a Liverpool shirt after blocking his move to Arsenal.
But there is less certainty the player can be motivated this time if he is forced to stay in the Premier League — weakening Liverpool’s bargaining position.
Suarez’s desire to join Barca was underlined by his post-match comments after scoring twice for Uruguay against England at the World Cup, when he said he’d taken revenge on people who had laughed at him in the UK.
Suarez has been banned for a total of 47 matches for three separate biting incidents in his career and for racially abusing Manchester United’s Patrice Evra.