Former FC Barcelona star Luis Suarez's possible reunion with Lionel Messi at Inter Miami may never happen, with the Uruguayan striker hinting at retirement.
Suarez recently played his final game for Brazilian club Grêmio, leading to speculations about his future plans. With Suarez set to become a free agent, his long-rumoured reunion with Messi appeared to be on the table.
Luis Suarez's latest statement
It was earlier reported by renowned Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano that the former Barcelona striker could join Inter Miami in Major League Soccer (MLS) on a one-year contract, but would have the option to extend it by another year. Suarez would become Inter Miami's latest high-profile signing. The South Florida club brought in Messi as well as his former Barcelona teammates Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba over the summer.
From January 1, 2024, Suarez will become a free agent and will be allowed to negotiate with any club. Inter Miami are expected to initiate negotiations with the former Barcelona star in the coming weeks, as per Romano.
However, the latest comments from 36-year-old Suarez indicate that he might have retirement in mind instead of joining Messi in Miami.
"I can feel pain, my body is speaking for me. I want to enjoy and then decide for myself after a long career. I need to rest, enjoy my family... then the destiny will know where I'll be in the future," Suarez said.
The former Liverpool star played his final game in the Grêmio shirt on Saturday, where he scored the winning goal against Vasco da Gama. Suarez received a heartwarming send-off from his teammates and supporters at the Arena stadium. His goal was met with a special celebration, with standing ovations and emotional chants.
Suarez's farewell at Gremio
Suarez had his wife Sofia Balbi and children - Benjamin, Lauti, and Delfina- with him during his final outing with the Brazilian club, making his farewell even more emotional. A video was shown on the giant screen, which showed the highlights of Suárez's career at Gremio.
With Suarez's departure, Gremio's attack has a big void and head coach Renato Gaucho admits that finding an ideal replacement who could fill the Uruguayan's shoes will be difficult.
"Are we going to miss him? Certainly, without a doubt, he is very loved by everyone. I had the pleasure of working with a great professional, one of the best in the world, and fourth highest scorer in the world. This void will remain for the next year because it's not easy to find someone of his talent and ability," Gaucho said in an interview.
"Unfortunately, as I said before, it was very difficult for him to stay. Everyone wanted it, but only he could reverse this decision. Unfortunately, he will leave and there will be this vacuum in Gremio's attack. Then it's up to the board and president to try and find another striker," the Gremio boss added.
GRACIAS, @LuisSuarez9 🥹🇪🇪 Um capítulo lindo de nossa história foi escrito por ti. O 4º maior artilheiro em atividade do mundo deixou a sua marca 27 vezes com nosso manto. Onde estiver, serás para sempre IMORTAL! 💙 pic.twitter.com/gtcy7aLshE
— Grêmio FBPA (@Gremio) December 4, 2023
Suarez, who made his senior debut back in 2005, has had a career filled with success and goal-scoring achievements at multiple clubs. He first made his presence felt in Europe during his stint with Ajax, scoring 111 goals in 159 appearances and winning the Dutch league title.
His move to Liverpool in 2010 pushed him to new heights. Even though he won just one trophy with the Reds (FA Cup), he was a core squad member and had several individual striking performances. He scored 82 goals in 132 appearances across all competitions and played a crucial role when Liverpool challenged for the Premier League title in the 2013-14 season. While Liverpool lost the top-flight by two points to Manchester City, Suarez decided to move on in a bid to win trophies.
Suarez formed a formidable attacking trio with Messi and Neymar when he joined Barcelona in 2014. The Uruguay international won numerous domestic and European titles, including lifting the coveted Champions League in his very first campaign.
He continued his goal-scoring feats at Atlético Madrid before returning to South America to play for his boyhood club Nacional and then switching to Gremio. Suarez has scored an impressive 487 goals in 799 appearances so far in his senior football career.
