Barcelona agree to sign Suarez from Liverpool

FC Barcelona and Liverpool FC have reached an agreement for the transfer of Luis Suárez, the Catalan club said on Friday in a statement obtained by Al Arabiya.

“The Uruguayan will be travelling to Barcelona next week for a medical, to sign his five-year contract and to be officially presented to the media and fans as an FC Barcelona player,” FC Barcelona said.

Meanwhile, Liverpool said in a statement on its website: “We would like to thank Luis for his contribution and the role he played in helping bring Champions League football back to Anfield.”

Suárez is banned from playing until the end of October by FIFA after biting an Italian footballer Giorgio chiellini in the World Cup in Brazil.

The deal comes a day after Barca agreed to sell Chile forward Alexis Sanchez to Arsenal.

But Barcelona had no qualms in bolstering its strike force with the footballing pariah, in the hope he can help the team regain the Spanish title, according to the Associated Press.

The 27-year-old Suarez can't train with his new Barcelona teammates under the terms of his ban for biting Chiellini, AP reported.

After initially denying that he bit the Italy defender, the 27-year-old later issued a carefully-worded statement admitting his offence, the third time he has bitten an opponent during a match, and vowed there would be no repeat.

Suarez, who has also had stints at Dutch clubs Groningen and Ajax Amsterdam, netted 31 league goals for Liverpool last season.

[With AP and Reuters]