It’s been a while since we’ve seen Daniel Sturridge bust out his trademark dance moves at Anfield, and although Jurgen Klopp has been keen to stress that the striker still has a future in his team, it seems there is an air of inevitability about the Englishman’s exit.
After adding Sadio Mane to a squad already packed with attacking midfielders, Klopp has found success this season playing without an orthodox number nine. This means Sturridge, whose relationship with the German has never appeared entirely amicable, has been largely consigned to late substitute appearances.
The former Chelsea man is 27 now, and having spent much of his early career playing second fiddle to big name foreign stars, you get the feeling he doesn’t have much appetite for another prolonged spell spent watching the action from the bench.
That being said, here are five possible January exit routes for Sturridge to consider…
Tottenham
Like Klopp, Tottenham counterpart Pochettino favours an intense pressing game which relies on forwards being able (and, more to the point, willing) to chase down opponents in their own half.
While Sturridge has struggled to acclimatise to his new coach's tactics at Anfield, there is one salient difference: Tottenham are short of goals, particularly in the absence of Harry Kane, and Vincent Janssen looks like a long-term project.
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Southampton
Liverpool and Southampton's recruitment departments are not exactly strangers, but how about someone making the move the other way for a change?
Claude Puel's arrival on the south coast has sparked a revival for Charlie Austin, but Sturridge represents a step up in quality, and St Mary's could be the perfect place for him to recapture his best form.
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Rafael Benitez
As the Spaniard attempts to revive his managerial career at Newcastle, he may want the world to forget about how absolutely tosh his playing days were. In all fairness though, the main highlight was playing for Real Madrid for seven years - Real Madrid Castilla, that is.
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West Ham
Slaven Billic's attempts to bring in a 20-goal-a-season man were thwarted in the dying hours of the summer transfer window, and early season form has suggested the Hammers are going to struggle to find the net. With Payet playing behind him, Sturridge certainly wouldn't be short of service at the Olympic Park. Just don't tell Andy Carroll we said this.
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Bournemouth
A year ago, it would have seemed unlikely that the Cherries could ever tempt a player of Sturridge's calibre to make the move down to Dorset, but the capture of Jack Wilshere in the summer has shown Eddie Howe's team mean business. Bournemouth's 6-1 annihilation of Hull at the weekend was proof if, it were needed, that this is side brimming with creativity - and the Liverpool striker would be the icing on the cake.
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