Daniel Sturridge is facing another six months on the sidelines after undergoing a hip operation this week. According to the Daily Mirror, he could be out until November, meaning that he’ll miss much of the first-half of our campaign.
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The Reds hierarchy are remaining positive and believe that this is still the best possible outcome for the 25-year-old, who has been plagued with problems since the middle of last year.
Sturridge went under the knife on Tuesday, with the Mirror reporting that the procedure lasted four hours and saw one of the top specialists in the United States undertake exploratory and remedial work on his hip joint.
The operation will require a minimum of four months recovery time but will hopefully have solved this long-standing problem. Brendan Rodgers is likely to want an additional six weeks of training and fitness work before he allows Sturridge to return to the team, meaning we’re highly unlikely to see him come the start of the season.
Sturridge has started just seven league games this season after suffering problems with his thigh and calf. However, the surgeon – Dr Bryan T Kelly – believes that his work should greatly reduce the threat of any such problems reoccurring in the future.
Despite the good news, Sturridge’s recuperation time is likely to place an even greater precedence on Brendan Rodgers’ work within the summer transfer window – with the Reds crying out for a striker capable of scoring regularly in the absence of our No. 15.
It will then be important to reintroduce Sturridge slowly back into the team and not attempt to rush his recovery – as we were perhaps guilty of earlier this season. Then, perhaps, we can see the old Sturridge back at long last.