Colombian striker Luis Suárez, the Sporting Lisbon player, entered Barcelona's orbit in the closing weeks of the summer transfer window. He was never among the big names floated when the market opened, yet his name became unexpectedly linked to the Catalan club.
Spanish newspaper "Sport" report that the interest formed part of the Barcelona board's search for a backup plan should the deal for Julián Álvarez fall through, which is exactly what happened. They combed the market for options to strengthen the out-and-out striker role, and Luis Suárez emerged on the shortlist of potential candidates.
The Colombian won the admiration of Barcelona's sporting management under Deco, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano. But it never went beyond interest. The 80 million euro release clause, plus Sporting Lisbon's refusal to lower their price for a player they view as central to their side, made any serious move difficult. The Portuguese club had already rejected huge offers from the Premier League and the Saudi League.
Say what you like about Luis Suárez, he has proven he carries a fierce goalscoring instinct. His numbers from last season back that up. The Colombian scored 38 goals and provided 9 assists across 53 matches in all competitions.
Those figures are all the more striking given the Portuguese league ranks below the major European leagues, and putting up such a record is no easy feat. Five of the goals came in the Champions League, the biggest continental stage, home to the best clubs in the world.
This season he is chasing bigger numbers still. He joined Sporting Lisbon's pre-season late after featuring for Colombia at the World Cup, and started the first two league games on the bench. From the third round onwards, he reclaimed his place in the starting line-up, and with it his sharpness in front of goal.
Right now the Colombian is in excellent scoring form, with 4 goals in his last 3 matches. He found the net against Alverca, bagged a brace against Rio Ave, then scored and set up a goal against Nacional at the end of last week. Once again, he looks a striker blessed with real instinct, and once again it suggests Barcelona's sporting management had a keen eye.
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