Jürgen Klopp has confirmed that Daniel Sturridge’s future at Liverpool will be reviewed at the end of the season, with the striker likely to be a high-profile departure from Anfield.
Sturridge missed Liverpool’s lamentable 3-1 defeat at Leicester City on Monday through illness and was exempt from Klopp’s criticism of the team’s sixth loss in 12 matches in all competitions this year. “We all play for our future, myself included,” the Liverpool manager said at the King Power Stadium.
Sturridge’s long-term prospects appear bleak, having become an increasingly peripheral figure at Anfield. He has started just five Premier League matches this season – and nine games in total – with Klopp favouring a front three of Sadio Mané, Roberto Firmino and Philippe Coutinho.
The England international, 27, has just over two years remaining on the heavily incentivised five-year contract he signed in October 2014 and Klopp, while a firm admirer of the player’s talent, admits the future of Sturridge will be up for discussion once the campaign ends.
“I have no idea what happens in the summer,” Klopp said. “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.”
Among others who could leave Liverpool this summer are Lucas Leiva, who is out of contract, Alberto Moreno and Emre Can, who has yet to commit to a new contract and has 16 months remaining on his deal.
Sturridge is expected to be available for Arsenal’s visit to Anfield on Saturday, when Dejan Lovren should also return having missed Liverpool’s past three matches with a knee problem. Jordan Henderson’s prospects of featuring in a game with major implications for Champions League qualification, however, are remote after Klopp admitted the midfielder was unlikely to have recovered from a foot injury. “It looks like he will not be ready for Arsenal,” he said. “We will see.”
