Luis Suarez set to be offered longterm contract with Barcelona

Barcelona's Luis Suarez celebrates after scoring their first goal against Real Madrid last week. Albert Gea / Reuters

Barcelona’s prolific striker Luis Suarez will be offered a new contract with the Spanish champions until 2022, president Josep Maria Bartomeu said on Thursday.

The 29-year-old Uruguayan collected the European Golden Shoe last season for the top scorer in domestic football in Europe with 40 league goals, helping Barca’s famed ‘MSN’ trio also containing Messi and Brazilian forward Neymar score a record 131 goals in all competitions.

“Suarez is going to get a renewed contract very soon, it’s done, just a few small details need to be sorted and we’ll announce it in the next few days or weeks,” Bartomeu told Uruguayan radio station Cadena Celeste.

“It will be a great Christmas present, not necessarily for Luis as he already knows he’s going to continue here, but for football fans. For us he is an important character, he forms part of this spectacular trident we have, which helps the entire team function.”

Suarez has won eight trophies since joining Barcelona from Liverpool in 2014, including two La Liga titles, two King’s Cups and the Champions League. He is the club’s joint top scorer in the league this season alongside Messi with nine goals.

Bartomeu added: “”We want (his contract) to be even longer, but for the moment he will sign until 2022. You have to adapt to the rules, which have a maximum contract length.

“We want Luis Suarez to stay at the club for many more years. And when he retires, he will always be welcomed back at Barcelona.”

* Reuters

Follow us on Twitter @NatSportUAE

Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/TheNationalSport