A former Liverpool icon was banned from signing for Manchester United in a move that would have left his legacy at Anfield in tatters
Luis Suarez’s time at Liverpool was marked by a thirst for goals, and his spell at Barcelona saw him convert those goals into silverware. For many, that’s the lasting memory of his time at Camp Nou.
However, what is often overlooked is the controversial nature of his exit from the La Liga giants, with threats of legal action and falling outs slightly tarnishing his illustrious six-year spell at Barcelona. Once it was evident that his time with the Catalans had come to an end, Suarez was eager for a new challenge and was reportedly informed by club bosses that he could leave on a free transfer in the summer of 2020.
That proved easier said than done, given Suarez still had one year remaining on his Barcelona contract. Nevertheless, the forward’s agents had negotiated a deal with Barca that would see their client forfeit a portion of the money due to him in the final year of his contract, provided he could leave as a free agent.
His next destination was the subject of intense speculation at the time. Premier League giants Manchester United emerged as a surprise contender, although a move to Old Trafford would have surely severed any remaining ties between the Uruguayan international and Liverpool.
It was later revealed that becoming a Red Devil was never actually a possibility for Suarez, even if he had wanted to, as there was a clause in his Barca contract stipulating that he could not directly join United.
United weren’t the only European powerhouse that Suarez was prohibited from joining, with other clubs such as Manchester City, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain also being off-limits for the four-time La Liga champion.
The situation between Suarez and Barcelona turned sour when it became clear he wanted to join Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid, a team not listed in his contract as one he couldn’t sign for.
Suarez and his team believed the transition from Barcelona to Atletico would therefore be smooth. But this expectation was shattered when Barcelona reneged on their promise and threatened to block the termination of the forward’s contract.
Their position was largely influenced by their previous decision to agree to David Villa’s move to Atletico in 2013, which backfired. Villa played a key role in leading the Rojiblancos to a La Liga title and even knocked the Catalan club out of the Champions League on their way to the final.
Barcelona eventually allowed the deal to proceed and Suarez experienced tremendous success at the Wanda Metropolitano, clinching the 2020/21 LaLiga title as an Atletico player.
There were rumours that Suarez might have considered joining United at some point, with some claiming that Cristiano Ronaldo could have been a decisive factor. Suarez was again linked with the Red Devils during the summer of 2021, while Ronaldo was still leading United’s attack at Old Trafford.
Comments from the Uruguayan dating back to 2013 resurfaced, which set tongues wagging among fans. During his time as a Liverpool player, Suarez was asked about the prospect of lining up alongside Ronaldo.
He replied: “Of course, I would like to play with Ronaldo, he is a great player. You never know, but it is complicated. At the moment he is in Madrid and I am in Liverpool and I do not know what is going to happen.”
