Luis Suarez next team: Uruguay star returns to boyhood club Nacional

Kyle Bonn

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Luis Suarez next team: Uruguay star returns to boyhood club Nacional image

Since arriving in Europe in 2007 as a 20-year-old youngster, Luis Suarez has remained in the world's elite strikers, proving one of the most lethal frontmen on the planet.

His 437 goals in 695 games across 15 years in Europe make him one of the game's most prolific attackers of his time. 

In his illustrious career, across spells with Groningen, Ajax, Liverpool, Barcelona, and Atletico Madrid, Suarez has won a Dutch league title, five Spanish league titles, the English FA Cup, a Champions League title and a Club World Cup title, as well as many other domestic cups.

Likewise, on an individual level, he has been the top scorer in the Netherlands (2009-2010: 35), England (2013-2014: 31) and Spain (2015-2016: 40).

"El Pistolero" has known how to hit the target when it comes to scoring. 

In his most recent club spell, he spent two years at Atletico Madrid, a club he joined after his controversial departure from Barcelona. Suarez helped Atletico to the La Liga title in his first season, bagging 21 goals in 2020-21, including the strike that gave Atleti the title-clinching victory against Real Sociedad in late May. 

With the expiration of his Atletico Madrid contract this summer, Suarez was again looking for a new home, but that has been now been decided.

Suarez returns to boyhood club Nacional in Uruguay

Suarez's boyhood club Nacional was always thought to be a possible destination for the 35-year-old should he decide to move back to his home country.

After weeks of speculation, both club and player confirmed a deal was done in late July. 

"First of all, I wanted to thank you for the love that both I and my family have received in recent days, which has been impressive, very exciting, all the videos, the messages that have reached us," Suarez said in the announcement.

"That made our hearts really touch in this situation that we had to decide and I think it was inevitable to reject this opportunity to have the possibility of playing for Nacional again." 

Nacional finished second in the season-opening Apertura and currently sit atop Group B of the Intermediate Round. They were eliminated from the Copa Libertadores in the group stage, but dropped to the Copa Sudamericana where they have reached the quarterfinals.

Moving back home to Nacional will provide Suarez with an emotional full-circle completion of his career journey while still affording him the chance to play in high-level South American competitions.

Nacional fans have clamoured for the move for weeks, showing plenty of support for Suarez on social media and at matches. 

What other clubs were linked with Luis Suarez?

While Suarez was still a free agent, there were a host of clubs linked with possible moves.

Here's a full rundown of all the reported possibilities for "El Pistolero" while he looked to find a new club home.

Borussia Dortmund

Reports in Germany indicated there had been a connection between Suarez and Borussia Dortmund. The Bundesliga side signed Sebastian Haller this summer from Ajax, but the Ivorian was diagnosed with a testicular tumour recently, and his availability is unknown moving forward.

Sky Sports Germany reported on July 21 that Suarez was "offered" to Dortmund, although Florian Plettenberg said that "it will probably be nothing."

Dortmund are "dealing with possible alternatives" for dealing with Haller's absence. 

LAFC

With Gareth Bale and Giorgio Chiellini already brought aboard this summer, and neither on a Designated Player contract, there was a thought that LAFC could swoop for Luis Suarez as well.

ESPN broadcaster Taylor Twellman, who has broken MLS news in the past, stoked the fire with a tweet on the morning of July 26 that linked the two. Not hours later, however, Paul Tenorio of The Athletic put the kabosh on that rumour, reporting that whether there was any truth to the links in the first place, the possibility had already closed.

Another MLS club

While MLS had always been rumoured to be a possible destination for Suarez, the heat truly picked up over the last few weeks.

On July 11, Suarez said he's received "many" MLS offers, and then on July 25, Florida-based broadcaster Klaus German reported that Suarez was "closer than ever" to an MLS move.

German noted that Inter Miami was not the club interested, but did not specify further.

The Seattle Sounders were thought to be a possible destination, as Suarez is known to be close with fellow Uruguayan international Nicolas Lodeiro. Seattle had an open third Designated Player slot with Lodeiro and Albert Rusnak currently set as the other two.

Kyle Bonn

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Kyle Bonn, is a Syracuse University broadcast journalism graduate with over a decade of experience covering soccer globally. Kyle specializes in soccer tactics and betting, with a degree in data analytics. Kyle also does TV broadcasts for Wake Forest soccer, and has had previous stops with NBC Soccer and IMG College. When not covering the game, he has long enjoyed loyalty to the New York Giants, Yankees, and Fulham. Kyle enjoys playing racquetball and video games when not watching or covering sports.