Luis Suarez is set to leave Atletico Madrid this summer and he has chosen his next destination with ‘revenge’ on his mind.
The Uruguayan striker joined Los Rojiblancos from Barcelona last season and his goals helped fire Diego Simeone’s side to the league title.
Suarez netted 21 goals in La Liga as Atleti claimed their first league title in seven years, but this year both the striker and the team have struggled to replicate such form.
He has found the net just 10 times across 31 appearances in La Liga and the Champions League, while he is no longer a guaranteed starter for the side.
There has been speculation regarding Suarez’s next move but such is the nature of his relationship with Atleti, it is said he is motivated to prove them wrong.
Have Your Say! Where will Suarez end up next season? Tell us what you think here.
The return of Antoine Griezmann to the Spanish capital this summer has ensured that Simeone has had to rejig his attack, with Joao Felix also pushing for a regular starting slot.
The Uruguayan is a predatory penalty-box goal scorer and without goals, his place in the side will come under increasing scrutiny.
Suarez’s frustrations were made clear with a recent foul-mouthed rant at Simeone after being substituted off in the league defeat at Sevilla earlier this season.
Whenever Barca informed Suarez that they no longer wanted to retain his services, the striker was motivated to prove them wrong.
He subsequently joined Atleti, with the transfer playing a role in Simeone’s side landing the title as the Blaugrana slipped to a third-placed finish.
Now, Atletico have not been in touch with the striker regarding a new contract, as per Marca, who say that this situation has annoyed Suarez.
In what could be a decision that shares similarities with his move to the Spanish capital, he now wishes to move to another club in La Liga to prove Atletico wrong.
He has interest from clubs in MLS while Italian club Inter are also said to be monitoring his situation, along with his former club Ajax, but Suarez’s preference is to stay in Spanish football.
Sevilla – who are currently second in La Liga, three places above Atletico – are said to be one option who the striker could join as a free agent at the end of the campaign.
However, there are said to be other clubs who are weighing up the idea of approaching the striker with regards to completing his signing.
Part of this idea is because Suarez is settled in Spain with his family but the report suggests that his motivation for revenge is a huge factor in driving him to continue at the highest level.
Another element within his decision-making is his desire to remain a first-choice striker for Uruguay at this winter’s World Cup finals in Qatar.
Suarez wants to be at a club who trust him to play regularly and also to be competing at a high level so that he enters the tournament in prime condition.
Suarez has been in European football since 2006 when joining Dutch side Groningen from Nacional in Uruguay and he has scored 450 goals across the entirety of his prolific club career.
