Daniel Sturridge has put a line through one of many options for him this summer amid uncertainty over his future at Liverpool.
The striker rejected a big-money approach from Beijing Guoan before the Chinese Super League’s transfer window shut on Friday, according to the Mirror.
Tenuous reports had previously identified China as a possible destination for the 27-year-old, although there have never been any signs to suggest Sturridge himself was remotely interested.
Even if a move elsewhere definitely was on the cards, he is far too talented and far too accomplished to be wasted outside of Europe.
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Any approaches for Sturridge look likely to be snubbed during the transfer window with Jurgen Klopp unable to justify selling the forward.
The German deems him somewhat irreplaceable given how expensive it would be fill the void were he to leave ahead of the new season.
Interest in signing an orthodox centre-forward also seems to have cooled lately, thereby supporting the idea the Englishman will still be at Anfield beyond deadline-day.
Sturridge appeared to regain the faith of supporters towards the end of the 2016/2017 campaign, producing a number of bright cameos and playing a key role in the club’s decisive final two games against West Ham and Middlesbrough.
It’s impossible to ignore his place as Liverpool’s most natural goalscorer and ultimately one of the clubs elite players. He has proven early on during the pre-season that he is putting in the hard work behind the scenes and is fully prepared to fight for his place on Merseyside. At the moment, that’s exactly what his manager wants for him.
Both Paris Saint-Germain and West Ham have previously expressed an interest in him but for now, it looks as though he is here to stay.