Suarez prays for £40m bid

Wantaway striker primed for Arsenal or Real bid

LUIS SUAREZ’S camp are praying Real Madrid or Arsenal will pay £40million for him to end any disputes over his contract clause.

The Liverpool striker’s agent Pere Guardiola, brother of Bayern boss Pep, believes that figure will trigger a release clause and get Suarez his move.

Yet Kop bosses are claiming it means only they are duty-bound to consider offers but are under no obligation to sell.

It is the latest twist in a transfer saga sparked by Suarez — who has six games of his biting ban to serve — insisting he wanted out at the end of last season.

The Uruguayan, 26, prefers a move to the Bernabeu. But, although Real are interested, so far Arsenal are the only club to have made any definite moves to land the hotshot.

The Gunners made a £30m bid, rising to nearly £35m including add-ons, nearly a fortnight ago. But that was immediately knocked back by the Reds.

Now it will come down to how the clause in Suarez’s terms is interpreted, with Liverpool adamant he is not for sale even then.

The player has three years left on his deal and faces the prospect of being held to that if the Kop stick to their guns.

The only prospect of that situation altering is if he puts in a transfer request — something Guardiola and Suarez insist is not on the cards.

While Suarez remains keen to move, Liverpool winger Stewart Downing wants to stay.

West Ham are keen but the England star, 28, prefers to prove he can continue his sparkling form from the end of last season.