[Sport]Free way for Luis Suárez, who will sign for two seasons with Atlético

[SougarLord]

 

After a good dose of intrigue, the signing of Luis Suárez for Atlético was finally unlocked. It happened late yesterday, after the player's lawyers met with Barça president Josep Maria Bartomeu, who had refused to grant him the letter of freedom in exchange for nothing. The solution ended up satisfying all parties: the rojiblancos will have to pay certain amounts for objectives, but not a fixed amount close to 10 million as initially demanded by the Barça president. Suarez, 33, will wear red and white for the next two seasons and Simeone already has that contrasting striker he's been looking for so long. Now time will tell if this time, at last, he has hit the key.

 

The operation, which seemed well planned by Atlético on Monday, was ruined by Bartomeu's refusal to open the door for free to Luis Suárez, who still had a year left on his contract with the Barça club. For hours the transfer was blocked and the rojiblanco team was even vetoed as a destination for the Uruguayan, since it meant reinforcing a direct rival in LaLiga. In the background, in addition, the situation lived a year ago with the signing of Antoine Griezmann still burned. The entity culé had to pay 15 million more than the 120 of the clause, after the complaint for having spoken with the player having a contract in force.

 

The fact is that until late on Tuesday, Barcelona did not unblock the situation, to the satisfaction of Diego Simeone, who had been persuading Suárez for a month to embark on his project. The day Ronald Koeman told him by phone that he would not be counting on him (August 24), the Argentine coach's eyes widened. And, practically from that moment, he has done everything possible to convince the battering ram that the Metropolitano was the best possible destination. That, with his goals, as happened in 2013 with David Villa, both would benefit.

 

The telephone line between the two has been open between the two during this time, to the point that the Uruguayan, author of 198 goals in 283 games for Barça, has pushed to put on his new shirt. He will do it for the next two seasons and will collect an amount close to 10 million, which is the cap set by Oblak and Costa, the highest paid of the squad.

 

CESSION OF MORATA TO JUVE

The matter was so directed that Álvaro Morata landed on the same Monday night in Turin and yesterday passed the medical examination with Juventus. Without that movement, since Costa's departure seemed complicated, Suárez would not have been possible. «Playing for Atlético has been one of the best things that has happened to me in life. Those who know me know that I will always have my season ticket at the Metropolitano », wrote as a farewell the one who has been rojiblanco striker for a season and a half. Along the way, 22 goals in 61 games, with that unforgettable night at Anfield, where he scored the winning goal for his team in extra time. That is already part of his brief history as a rojiblanco.

 

Morata leaves on loan in exchange for 10 million, with a non-mandatory purchase option of 45 million, when this season ends. Curiously there, in Turin, Suárez himself could have finished. In fact, last week he took an Italian test in Perugia to obtain nationality, an essential requirement for a signing that ended up frustrating. Yesterday it came to light that the prosecution is now investigating whether he falsified that examination, after, allegedly, reaching an agreement with some members of the university.

 

THE CAVANI ALTERNATIVE

In any case, Luis Suárez was always convinced by the idea of continuing in Spain and Atlético was presented as the ideal option. And for the rojiblanco team it was the best solution to have in their ranks a first-rate striker with which to put an end to the scoring difficulties that have accompanied them this season. Hence the verbal agreement between both parties, despite the fact that the Uruguayan will turn 34 next January and has just come out of a knee operation. Despite all that, he was able to score 21 goals, the same ones that were signed between Morata and Costa.

 

From Atlético they were always cautious with a deal that was expected to be difficult to close, as it was. They had recent experience of the last winter market, when they could not tie Edinson Cavani, before the tightness of some coffers that the coronavirus crisis has compressed more. In fact, before Bartomeu's refusal, Cavani's name came up again. But Simeone ended up getting away with it.

 

It is Atlético's second signing, after Croatian goalkeeper Ivo Grbic. And it will not be the last, there will still be another player. Arias walks on the exit ramp and Lemar is still looking for a destination. Nor is Costa assured of its future. Everything will depend on how the market behaves between now and October 5. At least they already have that great striker they were looking for.