Barcelona adamant that Luis Suarez won't be sold as Manchester United rumors swirl
Manchester United were linked to Luis Suarez, because Manchester United are linked to every great player in the world. But Barcelona are making sure that there is no way Suarez leaves the club.
"We read, we listen, we see this news, but of course, our interest in this particular case is that Luis Suarez is happy at Barcelona," club president Josep Bartomeu told Sky Sports.
"For me, he is probably the best striker in Europe and we want him to be with us."
Part of the reason the rumors came up is because Lionel Messi and Neymar recently got new contracts, but Suarez did not. At least not yet.
Solution: Sign Suarez to a new contract.
"Right now we are trying to extend his contract with Barcelona, and he is one of our big future efforts because he is still young, he has a vision and a lot of ambition.
"He is happy at Barcelona and, together with Lionel Messi and Neymar, they are really very dangerous."
Barcelona would be crazy to break up the Messi, Suarez and Neymar front three. They're the most potent front line in the entire world and, as good as the Catalans are as an entire squad, those three are what separate Barcelona from the rest of Europe.
The problem for Barcelona is Suarez's age. He is 29 years old and if they hand him a new contract then keep him at the club for a few more years, by the time he's fallen off they will owe him a couple more years of gigantic wages and have an aged, diminished Suarez with little resale value. Messi is also 29, but comparing contract extensions for the two is comparing apples to oranges because Messi is such a transcendent talent. Handing Suarez a new contract is not great financial sense. But Barcelona are one of the richest clubs in the world and can afford to put performance over finances with Suarez.
Rumors will continue to swirl around Suarez until he signs a new contract. And Manchester United will be involved in those because they are involved in every big player who might be on the move. But Suarez is going to get that new deal and Barcelona's front three will stay intact.
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