Gremio have confirmed the signing of Uruguay international Luis Suarez on a two-year deal. The 35-year-old will join the Brazilian club at the expiry of his short-term deal with Uruguay’s Nacional.
One of the tell-tale signs that a player is on the downhill is the quality of contract he attracts. The level drops, and clubs only want the player for his commercial leverage, or he wants a place he can play regularly. There is one constant in football, and it is that time catches up with everything.
Luis Suarez is on the verge of calling time on his illustrious career. The Uruguayan has been around and pushed his weight well. He has left his name in the sands of time but is not ready to say goodnight yet. The former Barcelona forward wants one last hurrah in the sun and has moved his services to Brazil.
Even before his contract at Uruguayan side Nacional is up, the 35-year-old forward has snared another one. Suarez has agreed to a two-year deal with Brazilian side Gremio. The arrangement will keep him at the club till 2025.
Luis Suarez joins Brazilian side Gremio
Usually, when players approach the end of their football career, they seek one last big payday before riding out into the sunset. It is a norm, but things have changed with the top clubs not willing to take such risks anymore, except the player has a well-heeled commercial value.
Luis Suarez is walking down the ladder and has taken his services to Brazilian side Gremio. The Brazilian Serie A side recently unveiled the signing of the Uruguay striker, confirming that he would be plying his trade with them for the next two years. The club unveiled the player on their Twitter page, with the 35-year-old featuring in a short introductory video next to the No. 9 shirt.
Luis Suarez is currently at Uruguayan side Nacional and will join his new club at the expiration of his contract.
Gremio are making a return to the Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A. After spending time in Serie B, Gremio gained promotion after the conclusion of the 2022 season.
An illustrious career and rejected opportunities
Luis Suarez has had a long and illustrious career. The former Ajax forward started his career at Nacional before heading to Europe. Suarez scored eight goals in 14 league games for Nacional since returning to the club in July of 2022. The expiration of the short-term deal with Nacional is why he is joining Gremio. The expectations were he would call time on his career at the Uruguayan club.
There were several options for Suarez, including an offer from the Mexican club Cruz Azul. Suarez also turned down offers from the MLS in America and a big-money pay-cheque like those offered by some teams in Saudi Arabia.
The veteran striker enjoyed 16 years in Europe, where he featured for Dutch clubs Groningen and Ajax. He left Ajax for Liverpool in 2011 before joining Barcelona in 2014, where he formed a deadly partnership with Lionel Messi and Neymar. He had a two-year stint with Atletico Madrid before returning to Nacional.
Suarez is the all-time top goalscorer for Uruguay, but his international career may have ended after they failed to make it out of the group stage at the just concluded World Cup in Qatar.
