Manchester United were linked with a former Liverpool star in 2020, but the small print in his contract stopped a transfer in its tracks
Luis Suarez of FC Barcelona reacts during the Liga match between Sevilla FC and FC Barcelona at Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan on June 19, 2020 in Seville, Spain.
Luis Suarez was blocked from joining Manchester United by Barcelona
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Luis Suarez's tenure at Liverpool was marked by a flurry of goals, and his stint at Barcelona saw him convert those goals into trophies. For many, that's the enduring memory of his time at Camp Nou.
However, what often goes unmentioned is the bitter nature of his exit from the La Liga heavyweights, with threats of legal action and disagreements slightly marring his illustrious six-year spell at Barcelona. Once it was evident that his time with the Blaugrana had come to an end, Suarez was eager for a fresh challenge and was reportedly informed by the club's top brass that he could depart on a free transfer in the summer of 2020.
This proved easier said than done, considering Suarez still had a year remaining on his Barcelona contract. Nevertheless, the forward's agents had struck a deal with the Catalan giants, which would see their client forfeit a portion of the money due to him in the final year of his contract, provided he was allowed to leave without a fee.
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His next destination was the subject of intense speculation at the time. Premier League powerhouses Manchester United emerged as a surprise contender, although a switch to Old Trafford would have undoubtedly severed any remaining ties the Uruguayan international had with Liverpool.
It soon transpired that becoming a Red Devil was never actually a possibility for Suarez, even if he had wanted it, as hidden in the fine print of his Barcelona contract was a clause stipulating he could not directly join United from Camp Nou.
Suarez was prohibited from joining several other European football giants, including Manchester City, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain - all of which were off-limits for the four-time La Liga champion.
Luis Suarez of Liverpool is challenged by Rio Ferdinand of Manchester United during the Barclays Premier League match between Manchester United and Liverpool at Old Trafford
Luis Suarez used to torment Manchester United defenders in a Liverpool shirt
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Tensions escalated between Suarez and Barcelona when it emerged that he wanted to join Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid, a team not listed in his contract clause.
Consequently, Suarez and his representatives believed the transition from Barcelona to Atletico would be smooth. However, Barca weren't too keen on letting him go to a league rival either and threatened to block the deal.
This decision was largely influenced by Barcelona's previous experience of allowing David Villa to transfer to Atletico in 2013, a move that backfired when Villa led the Rojiblancos to a La Liga title and knocked the Catalan club out of the Champions League en route to the final.
Eventually, Barcelona allowed the deal to proceed, and Suarez went on to achieve significant success at the Wanda Metropolitano, winning the 2020/21 La Liga title with Atletico.
Luis Suarez of Atletico de Madrid celebrates after scoring their side's second goal during the La Liga Santander match between Real Valladolid CF and Atletico de Madrid at Estadio Municipal Jose Zorrilla on May 22, 2021 in Valladolid, Spain. Sporting stadiums around Spain remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors
Barcelona lived to regret Suarez's Atletico Madrid move
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There were suggestions that Suarez might have considered joining United at some point, with some speculating that Cristiano Ronaldo could have been a decisive factor. Suarez was once again linked with the Red Devils during the summer of 2021, while Ronaldo was still spearheading United's attack at Old Trafford.
Remarks from the Uruguayan dating back to 2013 resurfaced, which set tongues wagging among supporters. During his time as a Liverpool player, Suarez was quizzed about the prospect of lining up alongside Ronaldo.
He responded: "Of course, I would like to play with Ronaldo, he is a great player. You never know, but it is complicated. At the moment he is in Madrid and I am in Liverpool and I do not know what is going to happen."