“Still a decent chance” – Journalist confident Aston Villa could sign 132-cap “game-changer”

Aston Villa still have ‘a decent chance’ of signing former Barcelona striker Luis Suarez this summer, according to journalist Dean Jones.

The 35-year-old is set to depart Atletico Madrid on a free transfer when his contract expires at the end of the month, and a reunion with former teammate Steven Gerrard at Villa Park has been sounded out as a possibility.

According to Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo (via BirminghamLive), Suarez is yet to decide where he is going to ply his trade next term, although he is not short of potential suitors.

It’s claimed that Argentine giants River Plate have made a proposal worth £4.2 million for the prolific marksman’s signature.

Suarez is believed to favour staying in Europe, though, and the 132-cap Uruguay international is also said to be attracting admiring glances from Villa and Sevilla.

Back in March, The Athletic’s Villa correspondent Gregg Evans, Gerrard ‘will monitor’ the South American’s situation, and a decision over his future is expected imminently.

Jones told GiveMeSport: “I think there is still a decent chance that they sign Suarez, and I think that Gerrard will be ideal for him, and I think that works vice versa too.

“It doesn’t mean that Suarez has to start every game, but having him as an option, having him as a game-changer, literally, is like something in your armoury that is amazing for the amount of pressure there’s going to be schedule-wise next season.

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“Clubs are really having to consider what they’re going to do in terms of balancing out the amount of games that are coming, particularly after the World Cup.

“There’s such a small amount of time before and after that tournament begins, and then so many