Luis Suarez has said his final goodbyes to his Barcelona team-mates and colleagues ahead of his free transfer to Atletico Madrid.

The 33-year-old is poised to join Atletico this week after rescinding his Barcelona contract following crunch talks with the club’s representatives.

Barca had initially blocked Suarez’s move because they were concerned they would be strengthening a direct rival.

According to reports in Catalonia, the Blaugrana were also not prepared to pay the settlement they had agreed with the striker for him to sign for Atletico and insisted on being paid a fee.

Standard Sport understands the Uruguayan was left furious by Barca’s change of posture and instructed his agents to meet club directors on Tuesday in order to seek a solution.

However, Suarez’s representatives managed to thrash out a deal with Barcelona officials to free him from his contract and the veteran striker will now head to the Spanish capital.

The Uruguayan will end his six-year spell at Camp Nou with 198 goals in 283 appearances after arriving from Liverpool for £75m in 2014.

The striker looked visibly emotional as he left the club’s Ciutat Desportiva Joan Gamper training complex, holding up a hand to bid farewell as he drove off in his black Range Rover Sport.

Suarez is one of several high-profile figures to leave the club this summer, following Ivan Rakitic, Arturo Vidal, Nelson Semedo and Arthur Melo out of the exit door part of Ronald Koeman’s overhaul of the squad.