---
title: "Aston Villa: Ashley Preece provides Luis Suarez assessment"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/aston-villa-ashley-preece-provides-luis-suarez-assessment/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "David Comerford"
section: "Aston Villa"
published: "2022-01-23T07:10:22Z"
modified: "2022-01-23T07:10:22Z"
---

# Aston Villa: Ashley Preece provides Luis Suarez assessment

**Aston Villa journalist Ashley Preece believes a summer move for Luis Suarez is possible.**

### The lowdown

Villa have already pulled off a blockbuster transfer under Steven Gerrard, bringing Philippe Coutinho – [the fourth-most expensive player](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/statistik/transferrekorde) in football history – to The Midlands.

Gerrard, of course, played with both Coutinho and Suarez at Liverpool.

Suarez, who’s about to turn 35, is now into the [final six months](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/luis-suarez/profil/spieler/44352) of his deal at Atletico Madrid.

Villa’s current striking options – Ollie Watkins and Danny Ings – have only managed nine goals between them in 34 combined appearances this season (via [BBC Sport](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/teams/aston-villa/top-scorers)).

\[freshpress-quiz id=”359416″\]

### The latest

[In a fan Q & A](https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/aston-villa-transfer-news-bissouma-22820346), Preece said that Suarez ‘is one for the summer’ because he’ll be remaining at Atletico until the expiry of his contract.

The move may depend on ‘whether Gerrard gives him a call like he did with Coutinho’.

He envisages a ’12-month deal’ but did caution that Suarez’s ‘astronomical’ wages could complicate matters.

### The verdict

Suarez would arguably be an even more high-profile signing than Coutinho. In his pomp, this is a striker who featured in the [FIFPro World XI](https://web.archive.org/web/20170109225806/http://www.fifa.com/the-best-fifa-football-awards/news/y=2017/m=1/news=the-best-named-at-fifa-football-awards-2862916.html).

And his output remains strong. Since joining Atletico ahead of the 2020/21 season, he’s bagged [30 goals in 66 appearances, including nine this season](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/luis-suarez/leistungsdaten/spieler/44352)

Suarez has spoken extremely highly of the Villa boss, hailing him as one of ‘[a small number of players in the world that are irreplaceable](https://twitter.com/goal/status/1246742043629703168)‘.

If Gerrard makes the call and he agrees to a reduced wage, then perhaps we could genuinely see Suarez at Villa Park.

**In other news, [fans react to this approach for their defender](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/aston-villa-news/aston-villa-fans-react-to-newcastles-matt-targett-enquiry/).**