Liverpool Boss Offers Fitness Update On Daniel Sturridge & Responds To Move Talk

Jurgen Klopp has offered another update on the fitness of Daniel Sturridge and promised not to give up on the striker amid rumours of a potential move away from Liverpool.

Sturridge has endured another injury-plagued season with a succession of muscle injuries restricting the England international to making just four starts for the Merseysiders so far this campaign.

The on-going concerns over Sturridge’s long-term fitness have led to reports that Liverpool could be ready to cut their loses with the player and the Daily Star were one of several media outlets who reported earlier this week that West Ham were lining-up an £18m bid.

However, Klopp has now played down those reports by insisting he’s not ready to give-up on Sturridge just yet and used Ilkay Gundogan as an example of how he’s been patient with players in the past, with the German coach waiting for over a year before the midfielder overcame a back injury during his time at Borussia Dortmund.

Klopp is quoted as saying by the Mirror:

“I don’t have to make a decision about Daniel. Make a decision about what? I have two-and-a-half years left on my contract and have been here three or four months. That’s not a problem.

“We have to patient. That’s not my best skill, to be honest, but in this case I have no other choice.

“To have a player like Daniel in your squad is always a good situation, and when it’s not possible to use him, it’s not a good situation.

“We all know it’s pretty easy for him when he’s fit, but at this moment he isn’t. We cannot change this and I am not thinking about making a general decision (about him) at the moment.”

“I had 15 months with Ilkay Gundogan where we had to all wait. It was his back and we had no chance to force it. It’s not a back problem with Daniel, but it’s the muscle.

“Out of responsibility, we have to do everything we can to give him the physical strength to be able to play Premier League football.”

The 26-year-old is currently nursing a niggling hamstring injury that’s kept him on the sidelines since the 2-0 defeat away to Newcastle in early December and the striker’s comeback has been delayed several times due to minor setbacks in training.

Klopp is adamant that Sturridge needs to train for at least 10 days straight before he’ll be considered for the first team and even that’s been a problem for the striker as he’s been unable to string together the required number of sessions without issue.

However, the Liverpool boss is confident he’s still got a big role to play during the second half of the season.

“He’s not with the team at the moment, that’s right,but we have enough games this season when we hopefully can use him but not, if nothing happens, for at least the next 10 days

“You can’t be nearly fit, then playing, then injured again, then nearly fit, then playing, then injured again, then during training something-like injured again, and then you say after five days ‘Come on’ to pick the day you get him and then he gets the next injury.

“So you have to be patient.”

Sturridge returned to full training on Tuesday and as long as he doesn’t suffer any further setback, he could play some part in Liverpool’s FA Cup fourth round clash with West Ham at Anfield on January 30th.

It’s certainly been another frustrating season for the striker but Klopp and everyone associated with the club will be praying he can finally overcome his latest injury and keep himself fit during the second half of the campaign.