To quote Real Madrid president Florentino Perez: “the most expensive players are often the cheapest”, and they haven’t come much cheaper than Luis Suarez.
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Transfer fees should be seen as money invested, not money spent, and at £75 million (Dh 431m) Barcelona have themselves a steal. Liverpool know it all too well.
Once the striker departed, the air quickly escaped from the Red balloon inflated from last season’s exploits and left a flatulent mess.
Last season, the Uruguayan was unquestionably the focal point of his team. Liverpool’s play was geared towards getting the best out of their talisman.
Liverpool have struggled for goals this season, missing the departed Suarez and injured Sturridge. #SSNHQ pic.twitter.com/pM6ehdnZmk
— Sky Sports News HQ (@SkySportsNewsHQ) May 10, 2015
In the Premier League, Suarez scored 31 goals and chipped in with 12 assists in 33 appearances. That works out at 42.5 per cent of Liverpool’s 101 goals directly influenced by his output.
When the Uruguayan left, his detractors – more in hope than belief – argued that the line between genius and lunacy is thin and that after that bite on Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup, Suarez crossed it. But the only line not crossed in Merseyside this season is the goal line – 46 less without Suarez.
Was it good value to sell him to Barca? In a word, no. Suarez was tied to a long-term deal, Liverpool held all the cards and with him in the side they would have qualified for the Champions League again.
One step away from achieving his childhood dream. @LuisSuarez9 wants nothing more than to lift the #UCL trophy: http://t.co/v43HMF5hGn
— Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) May 12, 2015
With a new TV deal providing a windfall of £60m (Dh346m) or more with qualification, the Reds could have kept Suarez and used that money to improve the squad. But they folded that winning hand.
Initially, a section of supporters were relieved as Suarez struggled to adapt to life in Catalonia. There were even rumours of a return to the Premier League at one point. Snap judgments are the done thing these days, but Suarez is the kind of player who can make you look very stupid, very quickly.
It was clear from watching him at Barca in the beginning that he was still adapting. Barca’s style is precise and patient; pass, pass, pass then a change of pace and bam. Suarez was, at times, a polar opposite, looking to force the issue every time with instinctive touches, ambitious flicks and risky passes.
It took patience, confidence and intelligence for him to step back and survey how best he can operate within his new confines. It’s now 24 goals and 17 assists in 36 games in all competitions, and that’s having missed 10 weeks of the season.
With an estimated €50m (Dh208m) in prize money alone to the Champions League finalists, his transfer fee starts to look increasing miniscule – and thats before also factoring in merchandising.
The Anfield hierarchy looked at the numbers; 33 games missed through suspension, his third biting incident and a second controversial moment in a Red shirt and decided the price was right.
Perhaps, though, it would have been wiser for Liverpool to focus on the only numbers that matter because Suarez is paying dividends for the Catalans and it’s come back to bite the Reds hard.
