Luis Suárez wants new Barcelona deal for Ernesto Valverde
Ernesto Valverde's future at Barcelona hangs in the balance, but he has the backing of striker Luis Suárez, who wants the coach to renew terms with the club.
Luis Suárez has praised Ernesto Valverde for his continued good work at Barcelona and is keen to see the head coach remain at Camp Nou. Valverde won LaLiga and the Copa del Rey after arriving at the club at the start of last season and Barça remain in the hunt for three trophies this season. However, Valverde's position remains shrouded in doubt after he suggested in December that his future is unclear. There is a break clause in his contract - which runs until 2020 - for the end of this campaign, although Blaugrana president Josep Maria Bartomeu has offered his backing to Valverde.
Luis Suárez and Jordi Alba back the boss
And Suárez has joined team-mate Jordi Alba in supporting his coach, adding that he would be keen for Valverde to stay at Barça even beyond the end of next season.
"[The speculation] surprises me because, from what I understand, there is still one more year of his contract remaining," Suárez told Mundo Deportivo. "We are all very happy. He has a lot of confidence in the players. There is respect where we speak in game situations and he is willing to listen to the players. We are delighted with how he manages the squad - that is important because there are times when it is not easy to deal with so many top players, keeping everyone happy. I would be delighted [if he renewed] because he is a great coach and has a great staff that has a lot of confidence in the players. But it is not us who should decide on that."
"I'm happy at Barcelona" - Luis Suárez
Suárez also hopes that he will be sticking around at Camp Nou alongside Valverde, adding: "For now, I have a few years of contract and I am very happy here. I want to continue doing well for this club. But you never know; there may come a time when the club needs a replacement or you need a change. If it's up to me, I'll stay for many years because myself and my family are happy here."