Klopp tells Sturridge his ‘future is bright’ at Liverpool

DANIEL STURRIDGE will be given a final chance to fight for his Liverpool future, as he enters the last year of his £120,000-a-week contract.

Jurgen Klopp is ready to involve Sturridge in his plans for the forthcoming season and will reject any interest from rival clubs in this transfer window.

Sturridge, 28, has struggled with injuries for the majority of Klopp’s tenure at Liverpool and endured a difficult period on loan at West Brom earlier this year.

There are no plans to initiate discussions over extending the England international’s contract. But Klopp has been impressed with Sturridge’s attitude since his return to pre-season and will give the forward an opportunity to play a key role this year.

Klopp said: “Who doubts Daniel Sturridge when he is fit? I don’t. He is an outstanding player when he is fit. The future is bright.

“He is still young enough. It is not as if he is 30-something. He is experienced. He has natural arrogance that you need on the pitch, so when something doesn’t work he doesn’t disappear out of the game for 10 minutes. It is good for us to have him around. I am fine with him, 100 per cent.”

Sturridge has not appeared for Liverpool since the 7-0 win over Spartak Moscow in the Champions League on December 6, with his last goal for the club coming in November.

OMISSION

Liverpool will adopt the same approach with defenders Ragnar Klavan and Alberto Moreno, who are also running into their final year and are likely to remain at Anfield.

Meanwhile, Adam Lallana, speaking out his omission from the England team for the World Cup, admitted that Gareth Southgate made the right call. Lallana missed out following an excruciating season in which he made only 13 appearances.

Southgate had singled out the 30-year-old as a key player in the World Cup qualification campaign but a hamstring injury ended his hopes of making the 23-man cut.

“Of course it was frustrating to miss out because I wanted to be there. Sometimes when you are a professional footballer, you have to deal with tough decisions,” he said.

“It probably wasn’t a comfortable call for him [Southgate] but he made it, like he made it for the other lads who missed out.

“I know that if my season was different and I had been fit, I would have been there. But it was probably the right call. Gareth has been absolutely brilliant.

“He said you don’t gain your form in a tournament, going on history and past experiences. The lads had a massive tournament but I am sure I have still got a lot to give. I will be there in the next camp.”

(© Daily Telegraph, London)