Nineteen months after departing from Turkish side Trabzonspor, former Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge has finally returned to the game, joining A-League outfit Perth Glory for the 2021-22 season. The English forward hasn’t played a single football match ever since he was banned from all football-related activities for four months.
This punishment was levied on Sturridge by the FA for breaching their gambling regulations. Whilst searching for his next destination, the 32-year-old forward spent a brief period training with Spanish minnows Real Mallorca to maintain his fitness levels.
Reflecting on his latest venture, Sturridge had nothing but praise for this newfound opportunity. The Englishman stated,
“It’s a fantastic opportunity to try a new challenge. When the opportunity came about, it felt like the right thing to do, to take my talent somewhere where I can enjoy my football in a competitive league and try and help the team be as successful as they possibly can be.”
“I can’t wait to play at HBF Park and hopefully put a smile on a lot of faces.”
The 26-capped international suffered a colossal dip in form after a 25-goal campaign in the 2013-14 season. His prolific partnership with Luis Suarez brought Liverpool to the brink of Premier League glory, only for Steven Gerrard to slip up in the final hour.
After disappointing spells with West Bromwich Albion and the aforementioned Trabzonspor, Sturridge joins his first professional club in 19 months in the form of Australian outfit Perth Glory.
