New Juventus manager Andrea Pirlo is revamping his lineup for next season's campaign and said to be a priority signing for the Italians is Barcelona veteran Luis Suarez. The Uruguayan striker has been declared surplus to requirements at Camp No so Pirlo is stepping up on his efforts to bring the star to Serie A.
Pirlo is moving in following the reports from Spain that Suarez is no longer wanted by the Catalans. New Barca coach Ronald Koeman is implementing a rebuild of his squad and has identified long-time players set for moving out this summer.
With the 33-year-old now available, the Juventus boss saw an opportunity to scoop a prolific goalscorer that he can pair with Juve superstar Cristiano Ronaldo. It seemed obvious that Pirlo was impressed with Suarez last season who scored 21 goals despite struggling with injuries, Goal reported.
Suarez now counts 198 goals after six seasons with the Catalan giants and his spell in Spain so far boasts of four La Liga titles and a Champions League crown. Pirlo is hoping that the targeted signing will continue with his top form in Italy and deliver the titles that the Serie A champions are shooting for.
Specifically, the Italians are gunning to win the Champions League next season and hopes are high that Suarez playing in tandem with Ronaldo will make the work easier.
The Barca star switching to Italy next season appeared to be gaining traction as he is said to be favoring Juventus as his next landing spot. Suarez is a target too by Ajax and Liverpool but according to Metro, the chance is higher for the striker to sign with the Bianconeri.
Suarez has agreed in personal terms to make Turin his new home for the upcoming season and the report added that all that's left to do is winning the player's release from Barcelona. The Uruguayan still has a year to go with the Spanish side.
He will need to secure Barcelona's clearance for a new deal with Juventus but before he can do so, Suarez will need to striker a deal with the Catalans. Barca can cancel the existing contract but the team will need to pay Suarez £12 million for his formal release.
If only to speed up his signing with Pirlo's side, Suarez can negotiate to reduce the fee that he is entitled to although it's unclear if the star is willing to cut such a deal.
Suarez playing for Juventus will reportedly net him a yearly salary of £9 million and the opportunity to work on the pitch with Ronaldo, who is Messi's long-time rival.
