The Daniel Sturridge exit stories that started circling yesterday have proved to be nonsense, and further quotes from Jurgen Klopp cement that fact.
Reports from Friday morning’s papers indicated our star striker was unhappy with Liverpool for not openly backing him regarding his injuries – but the Liverpool manager has flatly stated there’s been no discussions with Sturridge as to that effect.
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He also claimed the story doesn’t make sense, as obviously a player who’s been out as long as the forward will only be focussed on his recovery – and not a potential future transfer.
“I have no feeling that Daniel is thinking like this so stop thinking about it,” Klopp began, reported in the Echo.
“I spoke to him but not about this. I didn’t ask: ‘do you want to leave?’ “Why should I? He’s been back in training for two days.
“I don’t go over and say: ‘Daniel, I hear you want to leave? Is there truth in it?’ I don’t believe that it is like this.
“If Daniel or another player came to me and ask me to leave I will talk about it but I never believe rumours.
“After a long break, from my understanding, it is not possible that anyone can think about this because nothing has been said.
“I’m not interested. It’s a non-story and we make a story of it because someone has gone ‘slap, bang’.
“Since I was here I’ve had a normal relationship with Daniel Sturridge. The only problem is I have only had him 10 or 12 times on the training pitch – that is the truth.
“Now he is back we hope he can stay in team training and everything will be good. If everything is normal from now on then he is in the race.”
Sturridge won’t play today versus Sunderland but he’s in contention to feature on Tuesday against West Ham in the FA Cup Replay, says the Echo’s report.
It would be fantastic to see a fit Sturridge back in contention but we just can’t get our hopes up. We’ve essentially been waiting for 18 months for a prolonged run of Sturridge fitness, and every time he picks up another problem it becomes more frustrating.
We’re going to let him return in his own time, and just pray he stays fit but also stays hungry to stay fit.