Rumour Mongering: Sturridge Set for £25M Summer Switch

Daniel Sturridge was England’s best striker just two short seasons ago. Injury and a lack of playing time, though, has seen the 27-year-old fall to third on Liverpool’s depth chart and his struggles when he does get a chance have made his summer departure seem something of a foregone conclusion.

Now, according to the Star along with a smattering of other English tabloids, his most likely destination could end up being West Ham United, with the Hammers preparing for the sale of Andy Carroll to fund a £25M bid for Sturridge that would almost certainly be welcomed eagerly at Anfield.

Rumour had it that a number of Chinese Super League clubs were interested in Carroll in January, but with no replacement lined up, West Ham chose to keep hold of the inconsistent target man. If they could set up a situation where they sold Carroll and brought in Sturridge, though, they would be eager to do it.

And on Liverpool’s end, £25M for Sturridge would likely be welcomed given his injury record and current status, with West Ham paying a premium both for his status as an English player and for the quality he would bring to them were he able to rediscover something of his old form.

For Sturridge, too, it would seem a positive move, a mid-table side that would allow him to get regular playing time while remaining in England and perhaps even to compete for silverware in the cups or to return to Europe via the Europa League following a good West Ham season.

The only sticking point could be Carroll, and whether the 28-year-old would be happy moving to China for a payday, which on the surface at least doesn’t seem as though it would be an insurmountable issue.