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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Sport
Charlotte Coates

Luis Suarez spotted next 'Steven Gerrard' and now Liverpool are being linked with him

Luis Suarez has highlighted how Uruguay team-mate Fede Valverde "reminds" him of former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard.

Gerrard and Suarez were team-mates at Liverpool for three years with the ex-Reds skipper previously describing the striker as the "best player" he's ever played with.

Real Madrid midfielder Valverde has been linked with a move to Anfield in recent times, but it seems unlikely Madrid would be willing to let the star leave. Suarez has spoken of the talents of the 24-year-old.

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Valverde played a key role in Madrid overcoming Jurgen Klopp's side in the Champions League final in Paris as he provided the assist for Vinicius' goal in the second half.

Barcelona's third all-time leading scorer spoke to Marca about the talented Valverde and how he reminds him of Gerrard: "I, honestly, and there are the newspaper archives, already in 2017, when Fede debuted in the National Team, I already said that he reminded me of Steven Gerrard, who was my teammate at Liverpool.

"He has similar conditions. A box to box, with punch, change of pace, a lot of arrival... I don't want to compare, but the characteristics are similar. I saw Fede coming and he has made tremendous progress, surrounded by big stars. He did very well."

Suarez has been tentatively linked with a possible Premier League return on a free transfer once his time at Nacional is up, but he rules out a move back to European football.

"I already did my European career and I left there very proud. I had many options, many, before coming to Nacional, but the meaning of coming to my country was also that: Groningen, Ajax, Liverpool, Barça, Atletico... What better career than that in Europe!" Suarez added.

"For this reason, he could not finish, after Atletico, in another inferior team. That trajectory was perfect. I would have lowered the level and that's how I ended up at the highest level: Atletico. Hence, it made sense to come to Uruguay, not because it is a minor league, but to close a circle."

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