FC Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has tried to play down the club’s interest in Liverpool’s controversial Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez. Suarez is thought to be keen on a move to Barcelona and the two clubs are rumoured to have met to discuss the transfer of a player whose image was severely damaged by his biting incident in Uruguay’s World Cup game against Italy.
It saw him suspended for nine international matches and prohibited him from taking part in any football linked activity for four months, reports Xinhua. “Luis Suarez is a Liverpool player, but I will say that he has admitted his mistake and that honours him,” Bartomeu told reporters.
He went on to say that a move for the player could be “a good option for his rehabilitation”. “We have to try and help him. I can’t say more than that, he has to rehabilitate himself and carry on playing,” he said.
“He is not a Barca player, he is a Liverpool player,” continued the Barca president, who insisted on the idea that the player needed help to get his career back on track.
While Suarez could move to the Camp Nou, veteran midfielder, Xavi Hernandez could leave the club this summer, although Bartomeu said any decision would be made by a player who has spent his entire career with Barca.
“He has been in the first team for many years and he has earned the right to carry on. We will respect his decision. If he wants to stay then we’ll be delighted and if he wants to leave we’ll help him,” said Bartomeu, who nevertheless left the door open for the 34-year-old.
“The day he leaves, he will go into the club’s history books, but he will return one day, because he will make a fine coach,” he explained. As well as discussing Suarez and Xavi, Bartomeu discussed the club’s transfer policy, saying they were looking to improve competition in all areas of the pitch and highlighting the Barca was looking at signing at least one central defender, although: “we cannot reveal the names.”
Finally the Barca president said he was looking to carry out a deep renovation of the club and added that would be led by one man: Lionel Messi. “He is going to leave that renovation that we are going to make in the team and he does not want to leave,” he concluded.
