Official: Atletico Madrid sign Luis Suarez from Barcelona
Atletico Madrid have confirmed the signing of Luis Suarez from Barcelona on a free transfer, with an agreement to pay £5m in variables based on performance.
After being informed he was surplus to requirements in Catalunya, Suarez set out to find himself a new club and was strongly linked with a move to Juventus, with a deal seeming close.
But despite Suarez travelling to Italy to complete a citizenship test, delays with the processing and rumours of him 'cheating' in the exam surfaced, effectively ending Juve's chances of bringing him in.
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But Barcelona were extremely keen to get Suarez's salary off their significant wage bill to allow boss Ronald Koeman to boost his squad in the areas he wants.
As a result Barcelona were happily to let him leave for virtually nothing, and the 33-year-old has signed a two-year deal on £8m per season net of tax.
Suarez is a direct replacement for Alvaro Morata, who yesterday moved back to Juventus for a loan with an obligation to buy, following a disappointing spell at Atleti.
For Suarez it is the end of a hugely successful six-year spell at Camp Nou, scoring a colossal 198 goals in 283 games.
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