. Pogba will always be 'welcome' at Barca - Suarez
Luis Suarez says Paul Pogba would be welcome at Barcelona as the
Manchester United midfielder continues to be linked with a move away
from Old Trafford despite the transfer window closing.
Suarez becomes the second Barca player in little over a week to open the door to Pogba after Gerard Pique also said the La Liga champions would be happy to have him at Camp Nou.
"Pogba's an elite player who's won everything," Suarez told RAC1 on Tuesday. "He has a lot of quality and he's one of the references at United.
"I think he would like to be competing for more than he is at the moment. He's not a player that belongs to Barca, but he would always be welcome."
Pogba has become unsettled at United after feeling manager Jose Mourinho unfairly criticised him this summer, sources told ESPN FC in August.
Barca had a bid for the France international rejected by former club Juventus in 2015 and president Josep Maria Bartomeu refused to rule out making another move for him last month.
However, having already signed two midfielders in Arthur Melo and Arturo Vidal, the costs of landing Pogba this summer proved prohibitive for the Catalan club.
Another player targeted by Barca was Pogba's international teammate Antoine Griezmann. They made an offer for the French forward, but he decided to remain at Atletico Madrid, finally announcing his decision in a documentary called "The Decision."
Suarez says Griezmann would have been received with open arms at Barca but was also keen to dismiss the idea he would have replaced him at the club.
"It was a surprise [that he stayed at Atletico] because of what he had said," Suarez said. "But you have to respect his decision, which he made with his family. He earned everyone's respect.
"There were some people saying I would leave if he came in, but I don't know where that came from. If he came, he would have been well received because he's an excellent player."
Suarez, who will turn 32 in January, has seen his form come in for some criticism during the last 12 months but he believes he still has a lot to offer at the top level. He did admit, though, that he needs to slow down if he wants to fulfil his dream of retiring at Barcelona.
"You begin to realise that you have to rest in some of the more winnable games," said Suarez, who scored twice in Barca's 8-2 win against Huesca on Sunday. "Perhaps I didn't last season and I regret playing the match against Leganes. We had a big advantage [at the top of La Liga] and three days later we had the [quarterfinal] against Roma... but I played the whole game.
"I want to play every minute but I've become aware that you have to manage things to be at your best in the big games. You have to keep in shape, but when you feel fatigue you need to step back. The coach spots these details and I think it will help manage the squad this year in that sense.
"For as long as my body allows it, though, I will keep going for Barca. It's complicated to know where I will end up or if I will [retire] at Camp Nou. Look at Xavi and [Andres] Iniesta, who came through at the club but couldn't end their careers here, which is every player's desire."
Suarez becomes the second Barca player in little over a week to open the door to Pogba after Gerard Pique also said the La Liga champions would be happy to have him at Camp Nou.
"Pogba's an elite player who's won everything," Suarez told RAC1 on Tuesday. "He has a lot of quality and he's one of the references at United.
"I think he would like to be competing for more than he is at the moment. He's not a player that belongs to Barca, but he would always be welcome."
Pogba has become unsettled at United after feeling manager Jose Mourinho unfairly criticised him this summer, sources told ESPN FC in August.
Barca had a bid for the France international rejected by former club Juventus in 2015 and president Josep Maria Bartomeu refused to rule out making another move for him last month.
However, having already signed two midfielders in Arthur Melo and Arturo Vidal, the costs of landing Pogba this summer proved prohibitive for the Catalan club.
Another player targeted by Barca was Pogba's international teammate Antoine Griezmann. They made an offer for the French forward, but he decided to remain at Atletico Madrid, finally announcing his decision in a documentary called "The Decision."
Suarez says Griezmann would have been received with open arms at Barca but was also keen to dismiss the idea he would have replaced him at the club.
"It was a surprise [that he stayed at Atletico] because of what he had said," Suarez said. "But you have to respect his decision, which he made with his family. He earned everyone's respect.
"There were some people saying I would leave if he came in, but I don't know where that came from. If he came, he would have been well received because he's an excellent player."
Suarez, who will turn 32 in January, has seen his form come in for some criticism during the last 12 months but he believes he still has a lot to offer at the top level. He did admit, though, that he needs to slow down if he wants to fulfil his dream of retiring at Barcelona.
"You begin to realise that you have to rest in some of the more winnable games," said Suarez, who scored twice in Barca's 8-2 win against Huesca on Sunday. "Perhaps I didn't last season and I regret playing the match against Leganes. We had a big advantage [at the top of La Liga] and three days later we had the [quarterfinal] against Roma... but I played the whole game.
"I want to play every minute but I've become aware that you have to manage things to be at your best in the big games. You have to keep in shape, but when you feel fatigue you need to step back. The coach spots these details and I think it will help manage the squad this year in that sense.
"For as long as my body allows it, though, I will keep going for Barca. It's complicated to know where I will end up or if I will [retire] at Camp Nou. Look at Xavi and [Andres] Iniesta, who came through at the club but couldn't end their careers here, which is every player's desire."
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