Daniel Sturridge Reportedly Close to Newcastle Move

The Liverpool striker looks likely to join up with Rafa Benitez at Newcastle in a late loan deal.

Inter Milan is out. Despite talk of the Serie A side having submitted the only bid Liverpool considered sufficient to let Daniel Sturridge depart this month—a significant loan fee, paying the striker’s wages in full, and offering a route to a permanent deal—there was no interest in the move on Sturridge’s part.

That doesn’t, though, mean Sturridge won’t be going anywhere before the transfer window shuts on Wednesday, as it now appears he could—may likely, even—end up moving to Newcastle on loan. This according to Paul Joyce and The Times, who say Rafa Benitez’ side are keen on securing a deal for the striker.

And Sturridge is said to be eager, too. Now there’s just a matter of meeting Liverpool’s demands, said to include a £1.5M loan fee and willingness to pay Sturridge’s £120k wages in full. If Newcastle are willing to do that, all signs point to Sturridge being a Newcastle player within the next few days.

Newcastle, for their part, are desperately in need of reinforcements. They arrived in the Premier League this season with a Championship squad and an owner unwilling to invest to bring it up to top flight standards as he sought to sell them. Now, despite a strong start, they’re starting to tail off.

Benitez overachieved with the squad on hand in the first half of the season, but without reinforcements now, demotion becomes a real possibility—and demotion would hurt owner Mike Ashley’s chances of cashing out by completing the sale of the club. Reinforcements, especially in attack, are very much needed.

Liverpool fans, on the other hand, will be wondering at their club’s seeming willingness to let Sturridge go, as even while it’s clear he’s not a player in Jürgen Klopp’s plans it’s equally clear that this is a Liverpool squad looking increasingly thin. Hopefully, if Sturridge is leaving, it will mean a new signing is set to be made.

Source: liverpooloffside.sbnation.com