Stoke City are amongst a host of clubs seeking to secure the signature of Liverpool’s Daniel Sturridge in January, according to reports in the Daily Mirror.
The England international is thought to have expressed discontent in regards to his lack of first team football this season at Anfield.
Sturridge has started only four games under Jürgen Klopp in the Premier League, playing second fiddle to Brazilian teammate Roberto Firmino.
Despite maintaining a good level of fitness after constant injury setbacks in recent season, the ex-Chelsea and Manchester City striker seems to fail in meeting the expectations of his manager.
The 27-year-old has been seen publicly turning his nose up at Klopp’s decisions, looking bemused when Divock Origi was preferred over him as a second-half substitute away at Tottenham Hostpur earlier in the campaign, and he has a right to do so when you consider his impressive goal scoring record for the Reds.
Sturridge has made 102 appearances in his time spent upon Merseyside and netted an impressive 57 goals, meaning he scores roughly at least one every two matches. The Englishman was the fourth quickest player in the history of the club to reach 50 goals, hence Stoke’s interest.
Potters need added firepower
The arrival of Manchester City’s Wilfred Bony was met with much delight in the Potteries, but thus far the Ivory Coast international has failed to deliver what was expected.
Bony has scored just two goals in eight games for Mark Hughes’s side, a bad statistic when you consider Joe Allen - a player deemed to lack composure in front of goal - has even scored four in ten.
Plenty of potential suitors for an unhappy Sturridge
All this said, Stoke are not the only club monitoring Daniel Sturridge. West Ham United are also thought to be keen on signing the player in a bid to push them further away from the bottom three.
The reported price both clubs are willing to pay is around the £27 million mark. A steal if you ask many, but a gamble too given recent seasons have been heavily interrupted by niggling injury problems.
Sturridge has bags of ability and like Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher recently said, on his day the player is the best striker in English football bar Sergio Aguero.
But if Stoke were to sign the Liverpool striker, and they'll face a fight to do so, then it could turn out to be the best signing Mark Hughes has made in his managerial career.