Barcelona drop Luis Suarez option as €80m release clause blocks deal

Barcelona have abandoned plans to sign Sporting CP striker Luis Suarez as a potential alternative to Julian Alvarez, with the Spanish club unwilling to activate the Colombian forward’s €80m release clause.

Transfer market specialist Fabrizio Romano reported that Suarez, 28, had been identified as one of Barcelona’s options should their efforts to secure Alvarez fail to progress. However, Romano has now confirmed that Barcelona will not pursue the deal.

Writing on X, Romano said: “Barcelona will not activate the €80m release clause to sign Luis Suarez, as the price is considered excessive.”

He added: “Sporting CP will not offer any discounts to Barcelona in the deal, and the Colombian striker is expected to remain with his club.”

The decision leaves Alvarez as Barcelona’s clear first-choice target. The Argentina international is continuing attempts to put pressure on Atletico Madrid to complete a move to the Catalan club, while Barcelona remain firmly interested in signing him.

Alvarez is understood to be the preferred attacking option of head coach Hansi Flick and sporting director Deco. The club’s interest in him therefore remains active despite the failure to agree a deal so far.

Barcelona had considered Suarez as a possible contingency plan if their pursuit of Alvarez did not develop positively. That route has now been closed after the club decided that meeting the €80m clause would represent too high a financial outlay.

Sporting CP, for their part, are not expected to reduce the amount required to release Suarez from his contract. As a result, the striker is expected to continue with the Portuguese club rather than move to Barcelona.

The latest development means Barcelona’s transfer strategy remains centred on Alvarez. While the Argentine forward continues to push for the move, the Catalan club have maintained their interest in making him their priority signing.

Suarez’s proposed move had emerged as one of the alternatives being considered in case the Alvarez negotiations failed to produce a positive outcome. Romano’s latest update, however, confirms that Barcelona have now withdrawn from that possibility and will not trigger the release clause.