Luis Suarez is not concerned by the probability of Barcelona wanting to sign a new, youngster striker to eventually replace him: “It is normal.”
Suarez, 31, netted a hat-trick in last Sunday’s El Clasico and now has a total of seven La Liga goals in 10 outings this campaign in response to criticism over his early-season form.
El Mundo Deportivo ran a spread in their Friday edition showing the potential replacements for the former Liverpool striker, including RB Leipzig’s Timo Werner and Mauro Icardi of Inter.
“It's normal,” Suarez told Uruguayan outlet Sport 890, as cited by ESPN FC.
“First of all, at my age and with the career I have had, I have to be above any criticism. Now, when they say Barcelona need a new No. 9, there's nothing strange about it.
“Obviously they have to bring players in. I am 31 and Barca have to think, as a club, about the future. They're always going to need strikers, left-backs or whatever position it may be.
“With respect to the criticism, I'm happy when I help the team even if I am not scoring goals.
“When they said that I was fat and out of shape, that was after the Super Cup game against Seville. I'd started training on Tuesday and on Saturday we had the game.
“Obviously I was going to be slow and fat — I'd just come back from a month off after the World Cup. After that, you slowly get your rhythm back.”
