Sunday 1 May 2016 14:08, UK
The relationship between Daniel Sturridge and Jurgen Klopp is "lukewarm" and a summer bid for the striker could be a moment of truth for his Liverpool future, according to Sunday Times journalist Jonathan Northcroft.
Sturridge was an unused substitute against Villarreal in their Europa League semi-final first leg, but has been in good form when he's played, scoring 11 goals in 21 appearances for the Reds this season.
Northcroft believes the Liverpool forward will not be content to sit on the bench, and could leave the club at the end of the season.
"Klopp doesn't rave about him and there's a slight lukewarm nature about them," Northcroft said on the Sunday Supplement.
"There's a decision for Liverpool to make if a bid does come in for Sturridge. That would be the moment of truth because I get the impression Klopp in an ideal world would like a different type of striker.
"Sturridge is the not the type of player to sit on the bench. He's too good and too sure of his own ability, with reason, but will clubs go for him with his injury record? It could be an uneasy truce between the two of them."
Sturridge has said players who claim they will only play for one club over their careers are "deluded", and the Mail on Sunday's Rob Draper says the forward, who described his relationship with Klopp as "OK" in an interview with Draper, is not afraid to speak his mind.
"When you ask about Klopp, most players say, 'it's fantastic', and that's the answer you are expecting," Draper said.
"But Sturridge doesn't give you the ordinary answer. I'm not sure he would have said anything different about Brendan Rodgers or his previous managers.
"I think he's in his own world and thinks, 'I'm going to do this, I'm going to perform for the manager, and if it's good enough I'll get in.
"He is very single-minded. When you interview him, the intensity of him is something else. He is absolutely, 'I'm going to do this and what other people think of it, I'm not worried about.'
"That can be an enormous strength and, for example if he's starting for England this summer, he's got absolute confidence in doing that. He probably thinks he's the best striker in the Premier League and should be starting all the time."
