Luis Suarez could leave Nacional on a free transfer in January, with one club president expressing interest in signing the former Liverpool striker.
Cruz Azul of Mexico wants to sign Luis Suarez on a free transfer.
Suarez’s current contract with Uruguayan club Nacional expires at the end of 2022, but he has a 12-month player option. Cruz Azul are attempting to outbid Nacional and MLS club Inter Miami for the signature of the 35-year-old. Suarez continues to find the net with ease despite his advanced age. Last season, he led boyhood club Nacional to the Uruguayan league title with eight goals and four assists in 14 games. He also played for Uruguay in the World Cup in Qatar.
The president of Cruz Azul, Victor Velazquez, was recently asked if the Mexican club is interested in signing Suarez on a free transfer this January. “I don’t have any news for you yet, but we’ve been in negotiations,” he replied, according to AS.
“We intend to bring Luis Suarez to Cruz Azul; we just need to be patient and look for one or two additional reinforcements. We’re looking for a left-back as well as a striker.”
Cruz Azul will be hoping for a quick deal for Suarez, as their campaign resumes on January 8 with a trip to Tijuana. Velazquez’s team is still in contention for the Mexican championship, and they have a solid squad that already includes three Uruguayans.
Cruz Azul is one of Mexico’s most famous clubs, having won nine league titles. They’ve also won the CONCACAF Champions League six times, second only to Mexican rivals America in the continental competition (seven).
Suarez is without a doubt one of the best strikers of his generation, having scored over 500 goals for club and country. He has five LaLiga titles, the Eredivisie title, the Champions League, the EFL Cup, and the Copa America to his name.
Suarez has never scored fewer than 10 league goals in a single season since joining Nacional in the middle of the 2022 season, and he scored 59 goals in all competitions during the 2015/16 season to win the European Golden Shoe for the second time.
Cruz Azul would benefit from signing the former Liverpool hero, but they will face competition for his signature. Nacional, his childhood club, would like to keep him on their books, while MLS side Miami, co-owned by David Beckham, is looking for superstars.
Miami’s star player, Gonzalo Higuain, retired in October, and the club has been linked with Suarez, Cesc Fabregas, and Cristiano Ronaldo since. Argentina captain Lionel Messi, who is set to become a free agent in June, is the player they most want.
The chance to play alongside Messi again may persuade Suarez to join Miami rather than Cruz Azul or another club. After playing for Barcelona for six seasons and winning four LaLiga titles together, the pair are still close friends.