Sturridge in fitness race for Watford
Saturday with a back injury. He missed training again yesterday due to the same issue.
He has been receiving treatment since Liverpool returned from a fitness camp in Germany last Thursday.
Barcelona are desperate to sign the midfielder and they will be watching developments, particularly as Liverpool immediately head into a Champions League qualifier against Hoffenheim after facing Watford. Barcelona do not want him cup tied.
Liverpool’s stance in the face of renewed speculation on Coutinho (below) is that he isn’t for sale, regardless of whether Barcelona raise their offer for the Anfield star man.
Sportsmail reported on July 20 that Liverpool rejected Barcelona’s opening offer of £72m. They turned down a second offer closer to £80m but now it seems a third bid could push the deal closer to completion.
One positive update for Klopp is that Daniel Sturridge, who suffered a thigh issue in a 3-0 win against Bayern Munich last Tuesday, has started running again and could make the squad to face Watford.
Sturridge had a scan when he returned to Merseyside to determine how much damage was done but it was more a fatigue issue and assuming there are no more problems, the England striker could be involved in full training tomorrow.
Klopp is happy with how preparations for the campaign have gone and at a press conference yesterday to unveil Western Union as the club’s shirt sleeve sponsors, the manager expressed his satisfaction.
‘ When we finished last season in fourth position everybody was really happy about it — it was really a good result for a big effort,’ said Klopp.
‘We knew also there would be a qualification game, and now it is coming up. But the first challenge we have to face is playing Watford, even though everybody is thinking about the Champions League qualifiers.
‘So Watford is the first target, and we have a few more days to prepare for this game. We are in good shape. The players are in a good mood, the attitude in all the training sessions was really good. ‘Yes, there have been one or two little injuries and one bigger ( Adam Lallana’s thigh problem), but that is how life is. We showed it in Dublin again that we are in good shape.
‘Of course now we have to deliver, and we know that, so we are ready for it. The freshness is coming back. We are really excited.’