Luis Suarez Bite Ban Could Wreck Newcastle Move For French Striker
Has the Suarez moment of madness hurt our hope in singing Alexandre Lacazette this summer?
Ricardo Mazalan/AP/Press Association ImagesLuis Suarez's four-month football ban could have grave implications for Newcastle and our hopes of signing Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette this summer. The controversial Liverpool striker will be suspended for the next 21 matches for club and country - including the remainder of the World Cup - after FIFA's disciplinary committee threw the book at him for biting defender Giorgio Chiellini on the shoulder during Uruguay's final Group D fixture against Italy. But Suarez's heinous on-field conduct doesn't seem to have put Barcelona off in their chase for the 27-year-old with the Mirror reporting that the Catalan giants are confident they can acquire him for a reduced fee of £50 million as he is damaged goods and unable to to play or train until October. And the Chronicle have suggested this morning that we could be the biggest losers in this whole fiasco with Liverpool said to be plotting a move to bring Lacazette to Anfield IF Suarez decides to quit Anfield and head to Spain. The France international - who banged in 22 goals last season - is valued at £10m by Lyon and would be a relatively cheap replacement for Kop boss Brendan Rodgers. 
Nigel French/EMPICS SportShould that scenario play out it would be a bitter pill to swallow knowing that Suarez's villainous deeds had prevented us from landing one of our leading targets and a player with the potential to light up St James' Park. Then again, it could prove to be the wake up call for Newcastle's dithery recruitment team need and finally compel Mike Ashley to give managing director Lee Charnley the funds he requires to improve the squad. Which is the lesser of two evils?