According to Diario Sport, Barcelona had considered Sporting Lisbon striker Luis Suarez as a potential center forward, but the €80 million release clause prevented the deal from proceeding.
While he can't be called one of the biggest names in this summer's transfer market, he certainly came into the spotlight in the final weeks of the transfer window. I'm talking about none other than Sporting Lisbon striker Luis Suarez, the Colombian forward who unexpectedly became linked with Barcelona.
The reason is that Barcelona had been looking for a Plan B when Julian Alvarez's transfer fell through, but that deal ultimately didn't materialize. As a result, Barça began searching the transfer market for a replacement to strengthen their center-forward position. Luis Suárez was among these potential candidates.
The fact is, as Fabrizio Romano stated, the Colombian striker was admired by the sporting management led by Deco. However, all of this ultimately remained just interest. The €80 million release clause and Sporting Lisbon's refusal to lower their offer made it difficult for Barcelona to proceed. Sporting Lisbon considered him a key member of their tactical system, even rejecting significant offers from the Premier League and Saudi Arabia.
Regardless of personal preference, there's no doubt that Suarez possesses a remarkable goal-scoring instinct. Just look at his stats from last season: the Colombian striker scored 38 goals and provided 9 assists in 53 appearances across all competitions.
The Portuguese league is indeed a tier below other top European leagues, but achieving these statistics is no easy feat. Moreover, five of those goals came in the Champions League, one of the most important stages in European football, where some of the world's strongest teams compete.
And all signs indicate that he is prepared to continue improving. Due to his participation in the World Cup with Colombia, Suarez returned to Sporting CP's preseason preparations later than his teammates, and he came on as a substitute in the first two rounds of the Portuguese league. However, starting from the third round, he returned to the starting lineup, and subsequently, his best form as a center forward also returned.
This striker is in excellent form, scoring four goals in his last three matches. He scored against Albelca, netted twice against Rio Ave, and again against Nacional last weekend, providing an assist as well. It seems Suarez is the kind of striker born with a goal-scoring gene, and he's likely to deliver impressive statistics again this season. Once again, Barcelona's sporting management seems to have a very good eye…
