The cloud of uncertainty on Daniel Sturridge’s future keeps on getting darker as many believe the Englishman will leave the Premier League club at the end of the season.
The latest player to speak about Sturridge’s future is Danny Murphy. The former Liverpool player added that the striker would not be allowed to leave the Premier League side in the winter window but he will be leaving at the end of the season.
Speaking to talkSPORT host Jim White, Murphy said:
“I can’t see why Liverpool would let him go now, and I don’t think they will, but in the summer I think he’ll definitely be gone.
“He’s too good a footballer not to be starting week in, week out.”
Even though Sturridge has struggled to get the goals for the club this season, Murphy alluded to the quality of the striker and how he can be a match-winner when he plays.
“There’s no doubt when he plays and when he starts he is a match-winner. He has that wonderful ability to create space where there isn’t any with his great feet.
“He’s got a confidence and arrogance which is rare – he plays the same whether he’s scored ten in ten or none in ten. He still tries the same shots, the same skills and he has complete belief in his own ability.”
Not pressing on the pitch has led to Sturridge being dropped
Murphy also added why he believes the English striker does not start enough for the Reds. Liverpool do play a pressing game and Jurgen Klopp wants his strikers to defend from the front, something that Sturridge is not known for.
“The reason he doesn’t start we all know, he doesn’t press and work as hard as Klopp expects. It’s very simple.
“I don’t think that’s about his attitude, some players just play a certain way. It’s not in his nature, he’s a very reactive striker and [Klopp’s pressing regime] is not something that comes to him easily.”
There have been a few clubs looking to sign Sturridge up but not one of the big names and that situation could change in the summer window when there is more money available.
“His options will be better in the summer anyway. Now he has the chance, when he gets the chance, to show his quality and prove he is fit and can stay fit for a whole season.
“And if he does stay fit he’ll be a brilliant signing for someone, but he is going to be expensive.”
It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Sturridge leave at the end of the season as Klopp looks to bring in another quality forward. Last season he gave Christian Benteke a chance of performing and the Belgian was sold in the summer.
This season, Sturridge is being given a run and for now, he has not performed to the best of his abilities. Come the summer, the Englishman would surely be on his way out of the club, unless he scores a ton of goals.
