Barcelona boss Ronald Koeman has opened the door to striker Luis Suarez to stay at the club beyond the current transfer window: “If Suárez stays he will be one more in the squad.”
It follows a report from Catalan radio on Tuesday that Suarez’s proposed move to Juventus had collapsed over his citizenship issue in Italy and Lionel Messi is reportedly persuading the striker to stay at the Camp Nou.
“I was talking to Luis this morning,” Koeman told reporters on Wednesday, as per Marca.
“We are waiting to see if there is a way out or not. We respect the contracts and from day one we have said that if he stays in the squad he will be one more.”
Despite hitting 21 goals in an injury-hit season, Suarez’s physical levels have dropped in recent seasons since his prime and his future has come under increasing scrutiny in recent times, and he is not thought to be in the plans of new boss Ronald Koeman.
Barcelona transfer news has been defined by their interest in Inter striker Lautaro Martinez, who has been touted to be the long-term replacement for the Uruguayan at the Camp Nou, but that does not look likely to materialise this summer.
Suarez has netted 197 goals across 283 appearances for Barcelona since joining the club from Liverpool in the summer of 2014.
