Wednesday 25 July 2018 13:49, UK
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp says he is ready to give Daniel Sturridge another chance after being impressed by the striker in pre-season.
Sturridge appeared to be surplus to requirements last summer with the Reds ready to offload the 28-year-old to anyone willing to stump up £20m as his poor injury record had made him unreliable and largely unusable.
Sturridge went to West Brom on loan in January but was injured early on and managed just six appearances.
With 12 months left on his contract it seemed Sturridge's Anfield career was over but he has looked sharp in his five friendly games and Klopp, who became frustrated by the player's unavailability last season, is prepared to hand him a lifeline.
"We're not in doubt - and nobody was ever in doubt - about his quality," Klopp told liverpoolfc.com.
"In this moment he looks really good to be honest. That's cool - really cool for him and cool for us.
"(It's) a very important moment for him. I am in talks with him, what he feels.
"I don't want to make him the most physically strong player in the squad or whatever.
"The most physically strong player in the squad cannot play football like Daniel Sturridge and he has no possibility to be that, to be the marathon man of the team, but he can be a very decisive player.
"It's a good moment and hopefully it will stay like that."
Sturridge could be in line to start the Premier League campaign at home to West Ham in just over a fortnight's time with Roberto Firmino - along with new goalkeeper and fellow Brazil international Alisson - only rejoining the squad at next week's training camp in France.
