Liverpool have confirmed that they have agreed to sell Luis Suárez to Barcelona.
The Uruguay forward will travel to Barcelona to complete a medical after the two clubs agreed a fee of around £75m. Suárez has signed a five-year contract. Barcelona will unveil officially the striker on Wednesday.
A Liverpool statement said: “Liverpool FC confirms that Luis Suárez will be leaving the club after a transfer agreement was reached with FC Barcelona. The player now has permission to complete the usual formalities, which will then conclude the transfer.
“We would like to thank Luis for his contribution and the role he played in helping bring Champions League football back to Anfield. Everyone at Liverpool Football Club wishes Luis and his family well for the future.”
Suárez told Liverpoolfc.com: “It is with a heavy heart that I leave Liverpool for a new life and new challenges in Spain. Both me and my family have fallen in love with this club and with the city. But most of all I have fallen in love with the incredible fans. You have always supported me and we, as a family, will never forget it, we will always be Liverpool supporters.
“I hope you can all understand why I have made this decision. This club did all they could to get me to stay, but playing and living in Spain, where my wife’s family live, is a lifelong dream and ambition. I believe now the timing is right.
“I wish Brendan Rodgers and the team well for the future. The club is in great hands and I’m sure will be successful again next season. I am very proud I have played my part in helping to return Liverpool to the elite of the Premier League and in particular back into the Champions League.
“Thank you again for some great moments and memories. You’ll Never Walk Alone.”
A statement from Barcelona said: “FC Barcelona and Liverpool FC have reached an agreement for the transfer of Luis Suárez. The Uruguayan will be travelling to Barcelona next week for a medical, to sign his five-year contract and to be officially presented to the media and fans as an FC Barcelona player.” Suárez will wear the No9 shirt at the Camp Nou.
Liverpool’s attempts to persuade the Barcelona forward Alexis Sánchez to move to Anfield held up Suárez’s transfer to the Camp Nou. Sánchez eventually chose to join Arsenal on Thursday, paving the way for Suárez to sign for Barcelona in a straight cash deal.
Rodgers said it was with a heavy heart that his side was losing a player of Suárez’s quality. “Luis is a very special talent and I thank him for the role he has played in the team in the past two years, during my time at Liverpool,” he told the club’s website. “I think he would be the first to accept he has improved as a player over that period, along with the team, and has benefited from being here as we have benefited from him.
“The club have done all they can over a sustained period of time to try to keep Luis at Liverpool. It is with great reluctance and following lengthy discussions we have eventually agreed to his wishes to move to Spain for new experiences and challenges. We wish him and his young family well; we will always consider them to be friends.”
He added: “We are focused on the future, as we strive to continue with the progress we have made and build on last season’s excellent Barclays Premier League campaign.
“I am confident we will improve the team further and will be stronger for this coming season, when we will be competing on all fronts; domestically and in the greatest club competition in the world, the Champions League.
“If there is one thing the history of this great club teaches us, it is that Liverpool FC is bigger than any individual.
“I hope our supporters continue to dream and believe that we are moving forward and with continued improvement and progression, together we will bring the success we all crave and deserve.”
Source: The Guardian