Why Daniel Sturridge could be a smart solution to Man City’s striker woes
Former Manchester City defender Micah Richards has urged his former club to re-sign Daniel Sturridge to solve their striker crisis (source – Daily Mail). Richards has talked in support of Sturridge’s abilities and how he could be a fine addition to a lot of Premier League teams, City being one of them. Especially now, with both Aguero and Jesus out with injuries.
Profile
Daniel Sturridge hardly requires an introduction to any football fan in England. The left-footed hitman rose through the youth ranks of Aston Villa, Coventry City and Man City before going on to enjoy his breakthrough in senior football with the latter.
Sturridge, though, made only 32 appearances for the Cityzens across three seasons, scoring 6 goals before completing a move to Chelsea back in 2009. The Birmingham-born striker never really managed to establish himself as a regular fixture at Stamford Bridge due to stiff competition for places but still managed a decent tally of 24 goals and 9 assists in 96 appearances.
The 31-year-old Englishman added a Premier League trophy, two FA Cups and the Champions League crown to his cabinet during his time at Chelsea before switching boats once again to join Liverpool in January 2013.
It was at Merseyside that Sturridge established himself as one of the best strikers in the country, racking up a career-best tally of 21 league goals in 2013-14 as Brendan Rodgers’ Liverpool fell agonisingly short of the league title. However, his influence at Liverpool gradually waned, partly due to injuries, while the arrival of new players also played a part in his downfall.
Sturridge, though, left Anfield with the second Champions League medal of his career, having recorded an impressive 68 goals and 26 assists in 160 appearances for the Reds (source – Transfermarkt). He also has 26 caps for England, with 8 goals to his name.
Sturridge can be a temporary solution to City’s striker problems
Quite how does a team like City end up with no strikers to call upon is beyond anyone’s imagination. Sergio Aguero has been a faithful servant of the club but repeated injuries are slowly starting to creep in along with age. Gabriel Jesus is also currently out with an injury, which means Pep Guardiola is left with a grand total of zero strikers.
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This is exactly where Daniel Sturridge can provide some relief for Guardiola. The veteran striker has seen and done it all in the Premier League, winning the biggest of trophies while banging goals at a good rate. Yes, injuries have taken a toll on him but he still remains a viable option considering the situation and his free-agent status.
A short-term deal until the end of the season would work well for all parties, with City getting enough time to scour a striker in the January window or even next summer.
