5 Most Likely Candidates to Try to Sign Luis Suarez in Summer

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers is lucky to possess one of the world's finest forwards in his squad in Luis Suarez, but the boss knows that come summer it is likely that other clubs around Europe will be taking a serious interest in the Uruguayan.

There is no immediate indication that the Reds will consider selling him, nor that the player himself wants to leave—both vital factors as the club continues to rebuild and hope to progress significantly next season.

Nonetheless, the Anfield club should expect to have to repel one or two sides after the end of this season. So far, Rodgers remains bullish about his chances of keeping Liverpool's best players at the club (via Goal.com via Daily Mirror):

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Even clubs that have won the league are faced with having to keep hold of their players. So there’s always going to be ­speculation about players here and we expect that to happen again. I am a realist. We've got some outstanding players here who other clubs will show interest in. But I can only speak from my experience of working with the players here and I think they are all happy.

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Here are the five clubs most likely to be showing a real interest in Suarez come summer 2013.

Bayern Munich

Very shortly after it was confirmed that Pep Guardiola would take over as Bayern Munich boss next season, the media started linking Luis Suarez to the German club as their big-money target for the summer.

Suarez would certainly fit in with Guardiola's preferred formations, but Bayern already have a number of truly world-class players at the top end of the field.

A superbly well-run club, Bayern would absolutely have the finances to put a deal in place if Liverpool wanted to sell.

Barcelona

As Suarez would fit into the system of a former Barcelona manager, it follows that he would naturally fit into the system of that exact team.

Barça boast some of the best players on the planet, but there is perhaps one spot in the team which could be open to a newcomer this summer—the left-sided forward.

David Villa has missed out over the past year or so through injury, illness and simply the decline of age, making him not first choice, while Alexis Sanchez has not shown enough consistency to be considered the long-term solution.

Suarez prefers playing centrally perhaps, but he would also be a terrific addition for the left side of the front three.

Manchester City

Manchester City recently sold one of their attacking quartet—Mario Balotelli—without directly replacing him. While there are still hopes that John Guidetti might become a regular first-team member, it is entirely possible that the Citizens will be in the market for a big-name forward in the summer.

The biggest-budgeted side in the Premiership right now, City could easily afford Suarez even if he held a record-breaking price tag for Liverpool, and since the forward is so keen on his present living situation with his young family, remaining in the northwest of England may also appeal.

Suarez and Sergio Aguero in particular sounds a particularly tasty front line that Reds fans hope will not be seen any time soon—at least, not in blue.

Chelsea

The continued travails of Fernando Torres since his £50 million from Liverpool to Chelsea means that, whoever the next permanent manager of the Blues is, he might well be looking for a new man to lead the front line.

Liverpool would not let a second key forward join their rivals without another massive price tag being attached, and there is no guarantee that Suarez would want a move to Stamford Bridge either. But Chelsea would certainly want to be involved if the Uruguayan was to be on the move.

As one of the few who could afford the fee, Chelsea have to be acknowledged as a contender, but they are perhaps no longer the most likely destination.

Juventus

One of the clubs linked during the present season with a move for Luis Suarez was Italian side Juventus—but the Serie A leaders might now be considered outsiders for a move after having agreed to a move for Fernando Llorente.

With the likes of Alessandro Matri, Mirko Vucinic and Sebastian Giovinco also on their books, it is not entirely probable that they will seek to add Suarez to their ranks as well without offloading at least two of their forwards.

Even so, if Suarez becomes openly available in summer, there are few sides who would not hope to be able to tempt him to their club—though whether they would have the finances to compete with Bayern and Man City, for example, is another matter.

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