Liverpool Striker Luis Suarez's Move to Barcelona Sanctioned by FIFA

Luis Suarez is free to join Barcelona from Liverpool despite being banned from all football-related activities for four months after Fifa confirmed a deal can be completed.

Suarez could reportedly move to the Catalan giants over the weekend after the Reds confirmed talks between the two clubs have been "productive" regarding a deal which could be worth as much as £80m.

The comprehensive nature of Suarez's ban, which rules him out of Uruguay's next nine international matches, had led to some confusion over whether he would be free to complete a medical ahead of a switch from Liverpool to the Nou Camp, but Fifa have now clarified the specifics of the ban.

Fifa's disciplinary committee head Claudio Sulser said: "The player cannot have any activity related to football, but a medical examination for a transfer, yes - the sanction is not linked to transfer rights."

Despite submitting a public apology, which has been accepted by Chiellini, the Uruguay Football Association has lodged an appeal against the sternness of the ban which also included a £66,000 fine.

Sulser added: "This is still an ongoing case and an appeal has been filed, so I prefer not to give my opinion.

"When the committee was analysing this case, one thing I mentioned in my capacity as the chairman is we don't need to impose an exemplary sanction, we need to have justice and reached the sanction in a very severe case."

Regardless of the outcome of Suarez's attempts to join Barcelona, he will be unable to play for the club until October, and contrary to reports, is prevented from training with the club, or Liverpool, during the ban period.

A Fifa spokesman said on Friday: "Suarez not allowed to participate in any football activity during ban period. Not allowed to train with the team."

Barcelona club president Josep Maria Bartomeu wants to make Liverpool striker Suarez the catalyst for an overhaul of the first team this summer, with Cesc Fabregas, Victor Valdes and Carles Puyol having all departed after the club's trophy-less campaign last year.

"This year we are going to restructure the team in depth and we are working on that," Bartomeu said. "We have been working on that since February, but I can't reveal things we are doing.

"He [Suarez[ a great player, a global star and we want him to play as well as he's playing up to now. I'm speaking as a football fan.

"He's a player who needs to rebuild himself and get back to playing football."