In Almería's offices, nothing else is being discussed. The Andalusian club is about to complete the most important transfer in its history and one of the biggest in the Spanish Second Division. The main figure could only be Luis Suárez, the Colombian forward who has dominated headlines in recent weeks. With the LaLiga Hypermotion season just finished and after missing the promotion play-off semifinals due to being drafted by his national team, everything indicates that his time with the red-and-white team is about to come to an end.
The figures and the excitement surrounding Suárez's future have led Almería to focus their summer moves on the striker's departure, which could mark a turning point in the Second Division transfer market.
sporting de Portugal, the club leading the race
Sporting de Portugal's interest in Luis Suárez isn't new, but this week they've taken a more decisive step. Journalist Fabrizio Romano broke the news on his social media, reporting that the Colombian has become the Lisbon club's top target to replace Viktor Gyökeres, whose departure for a fee close to €90 million is imminent.
However, although the deal seems to be on track, the latest reports indicate that negotiations between both clubs have slowed down in recent hours. Almería is keeping a firm stance, hoping to secure a historic transfer of around €25 million, plus possible add-ons based on objectives, which could increase the final amount.
Luis Suárez's contract with Almería runs until June 2029 and the release clause is set at €40 million, but the club would be willing to negotiate a sale below that figure if certain conditions are met.
a record for Almería and for LaLiga Hypermotion
The possible sale of Luis Suárez would surpass all previous records for the club. Until now, Almería's biggest sale was Darwin Núñez, who left for Benfica for €24 million, a figure that later increased thanks to the capital gains from his subsequent transfer to Liverpool. The red-and-white club trusts that if Sporting de Portugal reaches the desired amount, €25 million, the Colombian forward's transfer will become the biggest in the team's history and in the championship itself.
In the context of the Second Division, the deal would also be on par with other major historic moves, such as Hasselbaink's transfer from Atlético de Madrid to Chelsea or Alfonso's from Betis to Barcelona, although none of them reached the amounts that Almería could receive for Suárez.