Suarez has Atletico Madrid agreement but Barcelona board reluctant to deal with La Liga rival

Luis Suarez has a verbal agreement in place with Atletico Madrid but some members of the Barcelona board would prefer not to see the Uruguayan link up with a La Liga rival, Goal has learned.

Ronald Koeman has deemed a prolific striker to be surplus to requirements at Camp Nou.

An exit door has been swung open, with Suarez free to talk with any number of suitors.

A move to Serie A champions Juventus appeared to be on the cards at one stage, but the Bianconeri have since switched their attention to Edin Dzeko and now Alvaro Morata.

If Morata sees a return to Turin pushed through, then the path will be cleared for Atletico to snap up another striker.

The Rojiblancos want Suarez to be that man, but he must first be freed from the final year of his contract in Catalunya.

Morata is already in Italy, with Goal confirming that he is poised to link up with Juve on a deal that includes an option to buy after an initial loan once he has passed all of the relevant medical checks.

A deal for Suarez may not be as straightforward.

He is yet to reach a settlement with Barca regarding his current terms and those at Wanda Metropolitano fear a late spanner could be thrown into the works.

Certain executives at Camp Nou are also understood to be against allowing Suarez to join a domestic foe.

The 33-year-old has, however, agreed in principle that his next destination will be Madrid.

If a deal can be done, then Atletico believe they will have pulled off quite a coup – moving on Morata, who had grown disillusioned with his role under Diego Simeone, and landing a replacement proven at the very highest level.

To land Suarez as a free agent, while handing him a two-year contract, could prove to be a masterstroke.

In what are uncertain times for Atletico, and a number of other clubs in the coronavirus pandemic, a move is being lined up that fits within the organisation’s financial parameters.

No paperwork has been signed as yet, though, and alternative targets are being lined up just in case, with former Paris Saint-Germain star Edinson Cavani and another Luis Suarez – one on Watford’s books who has impressed across loan spells at Gimnastic and Real Zaragoza – also being considered.