Daniel Sturridge faces crunch talks in summer as Jürgen Klopp refuses to confirm he will remain at Liverpool
The Liverpool manager says he will sit down with Sturridge at the end of the season to discuss the striker's future at Anfield
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Your support makes all the difference.Jürgen Klopp has thrown Daniel Sturridge’s Liverpool future into serious doubt after confirming that he will review the striker’s position in the squad at the end of the season, with a summer exit looking more and more likely.
While Sturridge missed Monday’s disappointing 3-1 defeat by Leicester City through illness, he has not featured regularly this season and Klopp has shown a preference to start Roberto Firmino and Divock Origi ahead of him.
The England striker’s absence this week meant he was safe from Klopp’s criticism of his squad, with Liverpool slumping to their sixth defeat in 12 matches in 2017, and any hopes that the 2-0 victory over Tottenham last month had seen the side turn a corner quickly diminished when Leicester recorded their first Premier League victory of the calendar year, scoring their first goal in the same timeframe as well.
Klopp has remained coy on Sturridge’s future up until now, having insisted he has a role to play in his side, but following the Leicester defeat, Klopp cast doubt on the England international’s long-term future at Anfield as well as a number of other players that he appears to be losing faith in.
“I have no idea what happens in the summer,” Klopp said of Sturridge. “It is not only Daniel but a lot of players. Daniel was not in training for eight or nine days because of a virus infection.
“We have to bring him back to the best shape possible and then bring this season to an end as successfully as possible. Then we will make decisions and speak about Daniel and any other players about what will happen at the end of the season. A lot of things will influence this and we can speak about it when it is time.”
Klopp received criticism from former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher after persisting with midfielder James Milner at left-back and Lucas Leiva, another natural midfielder, in central defence. Milner has been preferred to the out-of-favour Alberto Moreno, while injury ruled Dejan Lovren out of the trip to the King Power Stadium.
However, the Croatia international looks set to return to the side for this weekend’s important visit of Arsenal to Merseyside in a game that could have a major impact on the top four come the end of the season. Sturridge is also expected back in the squad, though he is unlikely to start, but the Reds look set to be without their captain, Jordan Henderson, after he suffered a foot injury last week.
“It looks like he will not be ready for Arsenal,” Klopp said of Henderson’s chances of a return. “We will see.”
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