Former West Ham United defender Stuart Pearce has been discussing the future of his old club’s prime striker target, Liverpool outcast Daniel Sturridge.
Daniel Sturridge
The Hammers are one of the favourites to sign Sturridge this summer as they search for a solution to their longstanding striker problems.
Slaven Bilic admitted last week he is keeping a keen eye on the former Chelsea striker, who is on the periphery at Anfield under Jurgen Klopp, as reported by the likes of The Daily Mail.
With Andy Carroll and Diafra Sakho once again spending much of the season on the sidelines through injury, Bilic has often been left short of options after a failed summer of transfer business.
Injuries have hampered Sturridge in recent seasons too but West Ham were believed to be keen on signing the striker as recently as January, as reported by the likes of The Sun.
Now former Hammers defender and England legend Pearce has revealed his thoughts on the striker’s current situation at Liverpool in and interview with Sky Sports, hinting he could be set for a move this summer but doubts whether his old club are good enough for Sturridge.
“He (Sturridge) would probably want to know what’s happening with him from his manager’s point of view,” Pearce told Sky Sports.
Stuart Pearce
“You know he can score goals. I think he’s the type of lad who needs to be loved a little bit and I’m not sure he’s feeling the love at the moment at Liverpool and his future will be interesting come the summer.
“It depends in his and his agent’s minds whether, with West Ham being mooted, whether he sees that beneath him at this moment in time.
“He’ll be looking somewhere further up the food chain, which as the league stands at the moment would be Everton and above.”
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp and West Ham United manager Slaven Bilic during the match
Sturridge has been at Liverpool since January 2013 but has scored only twice in the Premier League this season and has not firmly established himself as a key squad member under Jurgen Klopp.
While Pearce says Sturridge could be too good for the Hammers, if anything many West Ham fans feel moving for him would be a mistake given the problems they have had with Carroll’s persistent injury issues.
Supporters are worried the club could be saddled with two big money injury-prone strikers who spend more time on the treatment table than the pitch.
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