Brendan Rodgers wants new striker to replace injury-plagued Daniel Sturridge

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The Reds boss has made a series of subtle hints over the future of Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge, whose injury problems have restricted him to just seven Premier League starts so far this season.

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In quotes reported by The Guardian, Rodgers admits that we must sign a consistent goalscorer this summer, one who can perform “at a top level every week”.

He said: “We have to hope with Daniel that this year was just an unlucky season and he can come back super-fit and super-strong because he has an immense talent. You can’t argue with that. He can be as good as any striker in the world with his talent.

“[But] I need one that is going to be playing and at a top level every week.”

It’s certainly been a very mixed spell on Merseyside for Sturridge. His 40 goals in 66 appearances suggest a player at the height of his powers, more than capable of being the main man for any Premier League club. Unfortunately, his succession of injuries, particularly this season, are holding him back.

Sturridge and former Liverpool striker Luis Suarez combined for 52 league goals last season, a tally that the Reds have struggled to replicate this season, having gone without the all-star pair for almost the entire campaign.

The sad truth is that we cannot afford to rely on a player that has missed 29 Premier League games over the last two seasons. That doesn’t mean we should give up on him – it is possible to recover from such issues – but you can understand the fears that he never will.

“It’s simple, we need more of a scoring threat,” Rodgers continued. “We missed it immensely this year and obviously that has affected results. I think what the players have done to arrive where we have is credit to them without that.

“So in the summer we have to try and find goals again. We looked last summer and certainly will again this summer. If we do that we have an opportunity again for next season to be like our second year.”

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