Liverpool determined to keep wantaway Luis Suarez

Liverpool: Liverpool have held further talks with Luis Suarez’s agent and reiterated their determination to keep the 26-year-old Uruguay striker at Anfield.

But on the day Pep Guardiola spoke with Brendan Rodgers and managing director Ian Ayre, Suarez’s compatriot Edinson Cavani claimed he needs to quit Liverpool and find a club that can give him Champions League football.

Bayern Munich coach Guardiola arrived at Liverpool’s Melwood training complex yesterday, hours after it emerged Arsenal had a formal bid of pound 30 millions for Suarez rebuffed. Guardiola has been in regular contact with Liverpool and the talks were said to be cordial. Suarez , who would prefer to move to Real Madrid, is not due to report back for pre-season training until July 22 and it has yet to be decided whether he will take any part in Liverpool’s tour of the Far East and Australia. Arsenal are the only club to have made a serious enquiry but their offer was some way below the pound 40-million mark in his contract that stipulates he can seek permission to speak to other clubs. Liverpool, however, do not have to sell at pound 40 million and if they are going to lose their prized asset they would be looking for a price similar to the pound 50 millions they received from Chelsea — who also hold an interest in Suarez — for Fernando Torres in January 2011.

West Ham, meanwhile, have discussed with Liverpool a move for Stewart Downing. West Ham enquired at the end of last season and felt encouraged to return.

The England winger has two years left on his contract and if Liverpool recoup half of the pound 20 million they spent on him in July 2011, a deal could be done.

Dave Hickson, one of just three men to play for Everton, Liverpool and Tranmere, has died at the age of 83. The ‘Cannonball Kid’ was one of eight players to score more than 100 goals for Everton.