Steven Gerrard is expected to miss out on an encounter with Luis Suarez due to a "very close" transfer.
Steven Gerrard has been heavily linked with bringing ex-Liverpool teammate and five-time La Liga champion Luis Suarez to Villa Park this summer.
Steven Gerrard, the manager of Aston Villa, is set to miss out on a reunion with former Liverpool teammate Luis Suarez, who is set to return to South America.
Gerrard, who played 95 times with Suarez at Anfield, had been heavily linked with a reunion with his Uruguayan ex-teammate at Villa Park, with Suarez on the move this summer after a two-year spell with Spanish side Atletico Madrid.
While Villa have been heavily linked with signing Suarez in a move that would also reunite him with Philippe Coutinho, who joined the club permanently last month, it appears that Suarez is off to play in his home continent for the first time since 2006, when he last played for Uruguayan club Nacional.
According to Mundo Deportivo, Suarez is very close to signing with Argentine club River Plate, but he is currently on vacation in Ibiza, where he has been seen partying with former teammates Lionel Messi and Cesc Fabregas while recovering from a knee injury.
Suarez had an illustrious playing career, scoring 69 goals in 110 Premier League appearances for Liverpool between 2011 and 2014 after leaving Ajax.
If he moves to River Plate as expected, he will be thrust into the action with the Argentine club, which is preparing to face domestic rivals Velez Sarsfield in the Copa Libertadores Round of 16, with the first leg taking place in the early hours of Thursday morning.
Even as Villa look set to miss out on signing five-time La Liga champion Suarez, they have had a busy start to the summer transfer window.
Up to this point, Gerrard's team has completed four signings, including a free transfer from Ligue 1 side Marseille for French international midfielder Boubacar Kamara.
They have also signed centre-back Diego Carlos from Spanish giants Sevilla for £26 million, as well as converting loan deals from last season for Coutinho and goalkeeper Robin Olsen.
On the list of candidates leaving the West Midlands this summer is left-back Matt Targett, who joined Newcastle United in a £15 million deal earlier this month after spending the second half of last season on loan at Villa Park.
Villa released eight players at the end of last season, including versatile winger Ashley Young and midfielder Conor Hourihane, who are now free agents.
The Mirror revealed on Wednesday that Hourihane was on Derby County's transfer wishlist following their relegation to League One.
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