Barcelona close in on Luis Suárez

Luis Suarez's Anfield exit has moved a step closer after Liverpool FC held "productive" talks with Barcelona over a potential euros 88 million deal.

Reds chief executive Ian Ayre opened negotiations with a delegation from the Spanish giants in London.

Rather than seek a drastically reduced fee for a player banned for four months for biting the Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup, Barça's director of football management Raul Sanllehi's opening bid was in the region of €88m.

Both sides appear convinced a deal can be done after their face-to-face negotiations over the 27-year-old. Barcelona are believed to be willing to pay a straight cash sum for Suárez or to include Alexis Sánchez as a makeweight, as Liverpool had requested.