Rome

Barcelona forward Luis Suarez is suspected of cheating to pass his Italian language test with the help of his teachers, the Perugia prosecutor's department in charge of the investigation said on Tuesday.

The Italian exam was a first step required in order to receive a passport ahead of a possible transfer to Juventus, a move which has seen been abandoned.

"The investigation showed that the subjects discussed during the exam were agreed beforehand with the candidate and that the grade was awarded to him even before the test," the prosecutor's department said in a statement.

Local prosecutor Raffaele Cantone, a former head of Italy's National Anti-Corruption Authority, had been carrying out an investigation since February into University for Foreigners officials over various irregularities. Suspicions over Suarez were aroused by an overheard conversation.

"But what do you think, that we're going to fail him? Today I have the last lesson (with Suarez) and I have to prepare it because he barely speaks a word" of Italian, Stefania Spina, one of the people targeted by the investigation, is claimed to have said according to prosecution documents cited by Italian media.

Asked by a colleague what level Suarez "should pass" in Italian, Spina reportedly replied: "He should not, he must, he will pass, because with a salary of 10 million (euros) per season, you can't make him fail" his exam, "even if he doesn't know how to conjugate verbs and speak in the infinitive."

Juventus coach Andrea Pirlo said last week a proposed deal for Suarez was unlikely to go ahead because of delays in the Uruguayan's bid to get an Italian passport.

The Italian champions cannot recruit Suarez otherwise because they have already reached their quota for non-EU players.