Former Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge is currently a free agent and is on the hunt for his next club, after leaving his life in Turkey behind him.
The 31-year-old has been keeping himself in tip-top condition, relentlessly training throughout the coronavirus pandemic preparing for his next challenge.
Speaking to Melissa Reddy on her Between The Lines Podcast, the former England international said he’d have paid “any amount of money” to avoid injuries in his career.
“I saw a quote from Reus the other day saying he’d pay any amount of money to just play injury-free or never be injured,” Sturridge said.
“And honestly, I’d do the same. I would pay any amount of money. I already spend loads of money outside of the physios at work to do extra stuff to ensure that I can be as healthy as possible.
“Hundreds of thousands, to be fair, you know, to make sure that my body can be in the best shape possible. And sometimes, you can put the hours in, you can do everything, but… it is just bad luck.
“The toughest thing is just the mental side, because you know you’ve given your all, you know you slept well, you know you ate well.
“You know you’ve got the treatment that you need to get everything right. You’ve done everything. No one percent is left so when you go through an injury, the mental side of it is very tough – it can continue to break you and send you down a dark path.
“I’ve been someone who has played on with injuries, putting my body on the line for the team on countless occasions.
“I go through the hard things to push myself for the team. I’ve always done that.”
It’s honestly heartbreaking to hear these words from Sturridge, a player still beloved by Liverpool fans for his stint at the club which ended in European glory.
Injuries held the forward back throughout his entire career thus far, with the former England star’s best days coming from the formidable partnership he formed with Luis Suarez at Anfield.
Sturridge left Liverpool in 2019 after six years, scoring 67 goals in 160 games – but his form took a tumble in 2016 after a series of injuries and Roberto Firmino’s arrival the year prior.
Be sure to read the full quotes from Sturridge in Melissa’s article for the Independent and check out her podcast.