PSG to offer Suarez Anfield exit as French giants plot summer swoop

By Ashley Gray for MailOnline
Updated: 03:08 EDT, 16 February 2012

Controversial: Luis Suarez

Paris Saint-Germain are ready to offer a fresh start to disgraced Liverpool striker Luis Suarez.

The nouveau-riche French league leaders are desperate to sign a world-class forward and have turned their attention to the Uruguay star after failed bids in January for Carlos Tevez and Alexandre Pato.

PSG feel they can take advantage of Suarez’s malaise in England, where controversy over his clash with Manchester United defender Patrice Evra refuses to go away.

The 25-year-old served an eight-match ban for racially abusing Evra in October, but raised tensions again at the weekend by refusing to shake hands with the Frenchman at Old Trafford.

Suarez has apologised, but not before embarrassing his manager, club and their sponsors, and his long-term future at Anfield has been questioned.

Signed from Ajax for £22.8million in January last year, his 13 goals in 36 has been a slightly disappointing return - but that has not dissauded PSG, according to respected French newspaper L’Equipe.

The Ligue 1 leaders, coached by former Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti, have reportedly already established contact with the player’s representatives about a move.

Although Suarez has a contract on Merseyside to 2016, PSG are confident he would consider escaping his current controversy and joining one of his closest friends, Diego Lugano, at the club.

Next stop Pairs? PSG are interesting in bringing Suarez to France

 

Uruguay captain Lugano has regularly defended Suarez both on Twitter and in interviews over the last few weeks.

Meanwhile Palermo president Maurizio Zamparini has suggested he would also be in the running if Liverpool’s No 7 became available.

Despite Suarez’s tendancy to attract controversy, Zamparini said: ‘I would sign him tomorrow morning - he’s a fantastic striker. I would certainly try to educate him, but I don’t think behaved like this because he is racist.’

Palermo have been a selling club in recent years but Zamparini announced earlier this month that he was in talks with Arab investors over a substantial deal that could see an initial £165m pumped into the club.

The Sicilian club have been astute in the transfer market, bringing through many South American talents, including Uruguay strikers Edinson Cavani and Abel Hernandez.