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On This Day: Liverpool accept Barcelona offer for Luis Suarez

On This Day: Liverpool accept Barcelona offer for Luis Suarez
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It marked the end of the Uruguayan's eventful three-and-a-half year spell at Anfield.

Liverpool accepted a £75million offer from Barcelona for Luis Suarez on this day in 2014.

It marked the end of the Uruguayan's eventful three-and-a-half year spell at Anfield in which his brilliance on the field was often overshadowed by controversy.

At the time of his move to the Nou Camp, the prolific striker was just beginning a four-month worldwide ban for biting Italy's Giorgio Chiellini at that summer's World Cup in Brazil.

Soccer – Barclays Premier League – Cardiff City v Liverpool – Cardiff City Stadium
Suarez scored 82 goals in 133 appearances but also served bans for controversies involving Patrice Evra and Branislav Ivanovic (David Davies/PA)

He had previously served an eight-match ban for racially abusing Manchester United's Patrice Evra and a 10-game suspension for biting Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic during his time on Merseyside.

In terms of his football, however, Suarez was outstanding for the Reds.

Signed from Ajax in 2011, Suarez scored 82 goals in 133 appearances for the club and was the chief inspiration in an outstanding 2013-14 Premier League campaign which almost ended in title glory.

He missed the start of that season due to one his bans but still netted 31 times as Liverpool finished runners-up to Manchester City by two points, narrowly missing out on what would have been a first league crown in 24 years.

Throughout that season, rumours linking him with Barcelona were rife, though, and a sale had looked inevitable for some time.

Liverpool had resisted Suarez's attempts to force a move to Arsenal the previous summer. The Gunners made an ill-fated bid of £40,000,001 in a failed attempt to trigger a release clause.

Barca could not be held off and, with "great reluctance" according to manager Brendan Rodgers, a sale was agreed.

"This club did all they could to get me to stay, but playing and living in Spain, where my wife's family live, is a lifelong dream and ambition," Suarez said. "I believe now the timing is right."

Suarez went on to score 198 goals in 283 appearances for Barcelona, winning four LaLiga titles and the Champions League. He won another league title after moving to Atletico Madrid last year.

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TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool15113131131836
2Chelsea16104237191834
3Arsenal1686229151430
4Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest168442119228
5Manchester CityMan City168352823527
6Bournemouth167452421325
7Aston Villa167452425-125
8Fulham166642422224
9Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton166642625124
10Tottenham HotspurSpurs1672736191723
11Brentford167273230223
12Newcastle UnitedNewcastle166552321223
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd166462119222
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham165472129-819
15Crystal Palace163761721-416
16Everton153661421-715
17Leicester CityLeicester163582134-1314
18Ipswich TownIpswich162681628-1212
19Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1623112440-169
20Southampton1612131136-255


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