Argentine giants River Plate have opened talks with Luis Suarez over a potential free transfer this summer in a bitter blow to Aston Villa's hopes of signing the striker.
The 35-year-old will become a free agent in a matter of weeks after Atletico Madrid opted not to renew the former Liverpool and Barcelona star's contract.
Suarez has spent two years at Atletico but fell down the pecking order under Diego Simeone in recent months with the manager preferring Angel Correa, Antoine Griezmann, Joao Felix and Matheus Cunha in attack.