Liverpool and Besiktas Haggle Over Sturridge Transfer Fee

In a world where Daniel Sturridge could have stayed fit, the 28-year-old striker would surely have had a key role to play at Liverpool under Jürgen Klopp. Sadly, that world is not this one and so Sturridge will be found a new home this summer.

The goal will be a permanent home rather than another loan following his disappointing and injury-riddled half-season at West Brom last year. The only question will be whether any club are willing to take on the risk for the chance at his talent.

According to multiple reports out of Turkey following the end of the season, Besiktas just might be the place Sturridge ends up, with both the club and their fans increasingly excited at the prospect of signing a striker of his quality.

And today, local Turkish newspaper Star claim that the two clubs have been in contact and that Liverpool would be willing to sell Sturridge for €15M—a bargain should he manage to stay fit but, for a Süper Lig side, still a lot to gamble.

Besiktas, for their part, are said to be looking to pay considerably less than that—perhaps as little as €5M such are their doubts about Sturridge’s injury track record. In many ways, this is the other side of the Nabil Fekir transfer saga.

Liverpool fans have just watched their club walk away from Fekir, 24 years old and one of the best attacking midfielders in the game, because his transfer fee and wages were too big a gamble given his potential to end up like Sturridge.

So while Sturridge is certainly worth more than €5M on talent, Besiktas’ hesitancy to pay €15M along with wages—Sturridge’s Liverpool contract, which has a year left on it, currently pays around £100k per week—is understandable.

Hopefully, for Sturridge’s sake, in the end a compromise can be found and a deal done that will give the striker a chance to resurrect his career.