Daniel Sturridge

[greenbloodred]

He won't have after the first game he doesn't get a hat-trick.

[BootRoom]

Liverpool complete Daniel Sturridge signing from Chelsea

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Tony Barrett Updated
57 minutes ago

Liverpool have made the first significant signing of the January transfer window after they confirmed that Daniel Sturridge’s £12 million move from Chelsea is now complete.

The 23-year-old has signed a long-term contract and is unlikely to be the only signing that Liverpool make this month with Brendan Rodgers, the manager, keen to bolster an attack that has relied too heavily on Luis Suarez so far this season.

“I am humbled and happy to be here,” Sturridge said. “Brendan Rodgers said he sees me here for a long time - and I also see myself here for a long time. I’ve not signed here to play for a couple of years and then move on.

“I’ve signed to be here for as long as possible. It’s a humongous club - for me, one of the biggest in the world - and to have the fans and world-class players we have here is amazing.”

Sturridge is expected to make his Liverpool debut in Sunday’s third-round FA Cup tie away to Mansfield Town as he was not signed in time to feature against Sunderland in the Barclays Premier League tonight.

But while he believes that playing through the middle as a central striker is his most effective position, he has stated that he would not mind if Rodgers wants to deploy him on the flank.

“I have played on the wing and have learned a lot doing so,” Sturridge said. “I’d never refuse to play in that position and I’ve never demanded to play up front, either. For me, whatever the manager wants me to do I will do it and work as hard as I can for the club and the fans.”

The new signing is looking forward to forging devastating attacking partnerships with the likes of Suarez and Raheem Sterling and is vowing to wreak havoc with them. “I’m sure we’ll connect well together. We all have similar attributes, so hopefully we’ll be able to create a few nightmares for defenders,” he added.

Rodgers turned down the opportunity to sign Sturridge last summer because of concerns about his attitude but the England international’s desire to move to Liverpool prompted a change of heart and the player is anxious to get down to work.

“I just can’t wait for the games to start rolling on,” the former Manchester City striker said. “I’ve not played for a while - I’ve had a couple of injuries over the last few months - but I’m just happy now to join such a great club, to be part of a revolution and to be part of something new and something special. Hopefully we’ll be able to bring a bit of success for the fans.”

Sturridge, who is likely to be replaced by Demba Ba at Chelsea, will wear the No. 15 shirt at Anfield.

He scored 13 goals in all competitions for Chelsea last season, his most prolific campaign since arriving at Stamford Bridge from Manchester City in 2009. He was on target twice at the London Olympics as Great Britain reached the quarter-finals and has won four caps to date for England.

One player surplus to requirements at Anfield, however, is Joe Cole with West Ham United are ready to challenge Queens Park Rangers for the 31-year-old’s signature.

After confirming Queens Park Rangers’s interest in Cole, Harry Redknapp was hoping to have the field to himself but West Ham’s interest in their former player is growing with Sam Allardyce hoping to sign him on loan until the end of the season with a view to a permanent transfer.

Cole wants to return to his native London but has not, as yet, expressed a preference for which club he will join, and Liverpool will not stand in his way of a move.

Whoever wins the race to sign the England international will have to pay a significant proportion of his £100,000 weekly wage.

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/sport/football/clubs/liverpool/article3646087.ece

The conspiracy theorists can easily convert the part in bold into a "he was forced on poor Brendan" affair if things don't work out.

[Neil Young]

[Catrin]

Bugger, Robbie Savage thinks he's a good signing. I suppose we can hope that even he might get something right once in a while.

[Alex]

I there anything in this rumour that Rodgers has a little more than everyone thinks, as Chelsea still owed us money from the Torres deal? It could be a load of old bollocks. But it would certainly answer a few questions as to why we are after players like Butland.

[Cormack74]

I there anything in this rumour that Rodgers has a little more than everyone thinks, as Chelsea still owed us money from the Torres deal? It could be a load of old bollocks. But it would certainly answer a few questions as to why we are after players like Butland.

I'm sure I once read somewhere that Man City and Chelsea are the only two clubs that pay the full fee up front. Must smooth the wheels somewhat when it comes to doing deals that might otherwise not get done.

[yamiedo]

Sterling Suarez Sturridge

Assaidi Borini Downing

Looks a lot more positive with Downing playing well. Want to see Assaidi push for the first team too.

[G]

I've seen it tweeted tonight alright but everything I've ever read about the Torres deal was that it was paid up front, we also paid Newcastle up front.

[red g]

I've seen it tweeted tonight alright but everything I've ever read about the Torres deal was that it was paid up front, we also paid Newcastle up front.

I was about to post the same. Sure Newcastle demanded it from us,would make common sense for us to ask the same of Chelsea, although thats where we may have gone wrong

[SB]

I'm glad this has been concluded so early in the TW. Welcome & good luck.

[Norbs]

good signing

can play in all the forward positions and scores

He was prolific in his short spell at Bolton (1 in 1.5) when played as a striker, his record at Chelsea wasn't so prolific (1 in 4?) when he was played in a wide role. He was employed as a striker in the Olympics and scored twice. Seems obvious where he should play to me.

[Vermilion]

Daniel Sturridge: 'New Liverpool signing can become top striker'.
By Simon Austin BBC Sport

The man who brought Daniel Sturridge through the ranks at Manchester City hopes to finally see the striker fulfil his potential at new club Liverpool.

Jim Cassell headed City's academy when Sturridge spent three seasons there.

And he has been frustrated at Sturridge's lack of first-team appearances at both City and Chelsea.

"Hopefully Liverpool will get the best from Daniel as he has the potential to be a top-class international striker," Cassell told BBC Sport.

Cassell was City's academy director for 12 years, from 1997 to 2009, until he was given a new job heading up the club's international academies.

During his time in the role, Cassell brought through Micah Richards, Stephen Ireland, Michael Johnson and Joey Barton, and won the 2008 Youth Cup .

And he quickly identified Sturridge, who moved to Manchester City from Coventry City as a 13-year-old in 2003, as a huge talent who could go on to achieve success at the highest level.

"Daniel was exceptional, even as a 13-year-old," Cassell said, after Sturridge completed his move to Liverpool from Chelsea for an undisclosed fee on Wednesday.

"He had great pace, fantastic feet and magnificent vision. I couldn't speak too highly of him when he was with us.

"He trained hard, was respectful and always immaculately turned out - I thought he was great. We knew he could go on and achieve great things."

Sturridge played in the 2006 Youth Cup final against Liverpool, which City lost 3-2 on aggregate despite the striker scoring twice in the home leg.

He was promoted to the first team squad in the 2006-7 season, but went on to make only 21 appearances for City, scoring five goals.

In July 2009 he moved to Chelsea and, although he got more first-team opportunities and won four caps for England, he was often played out wide and again failed to make a first-team place up front his own.

Cassell admits it has sometimes been hard to watch such a talent sitting on the sidelines.

"It's frustrating," he said. "In English football, we sometimes don't get the most out of our young players. The problem is enabling them to really establish themselves. They need that to really make it at international level.

"The English game needs to be patient with these young talents."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20893939

[IrishRed1977]

Good to see we have learned from the last transfer window and started our business early. Don't see why he won't be a success for us, was never given fair crack of it at Chelsea and proved at Bolton he is a decent player.

[BobTheCharmer]

Good to see we have learned from the last transfer window and started our business early. Don't see why he won't be a success for us, was never given fair crack of it at Chelsea and proved at Bolton he is a decent player.

aye, could well be a more than useful player. he seems to get injuries which worries me a little.

[IrishRed1977]

aye, could well be a more than useful player. he seems to get injuries which worries me a little.

Really, never knew he had any major injuries.