George Caulkin, usually the best source of truth on anything NUFC, reporting this.Daniel Sturridge close to loan switch from Liverpool to Newcastle United
Newcastle United are hoping to complete a deal to sign Daniel Sturridge on loan for the remainder of the season as Rafa Benítez counts on the striker’s scoring pedigree to keep the club in the Premier League.
The final details on a temporary switch from Liverpool are in the process of being thrashed out with Sturridge increasingly minded to stay in England as he looks to reignite his stalled career. Newcastle will have to pay a loan fee of about £1.5 million and cover the player’s wages of about £120,000-a-week for the remainder of the season.
Sturridge had the chance to move to Inter Milan after the Italians struck an agreement with Liverpool, but the 28-year-old’s delay in taking up that option indicated a preference to go elsewhere. He had hoped Seville would firm up their interest in him by delivering an acceptable offer, yet the Spaniards have fallen short.
Newcastle’s hopes of an impending agreement would see them outmanoeuvre the likes of West Bromwich Albion and West Ham United, who are also keen on the player, and he would be a welcome addition of firepower to a side that have scored just 22 goals in 24 league games this season. Joselu and Dwight Gayle, Benítez’s first-choice forwards, have scored seven goals between them in the Premier League.
Benítez has turned to Sturridge after Newcastle failed to meet Feyenoord’s £20 million valuation for Nicolai Jorgensen, the Denmark international. It is understood that Newcastle submitted bids of £13 million and £15 million for the 27-year-old forward, but moved on when the Dutch club refused to lower their price.
The key will be how quickly Sturridge can rediscover his swagger and whether he then stays fit for the remaining 14 games of the campaign. His priority will be steering Newcastle, who are a point above the bottom three, to safety with re-establishing himself in the England squad only likely to follow if he scores goals. Benítez is hopeful that the carrot of a World Cup place will provide the kickstart which Sturridge needs, benefiting Newcastle in the process.
Sturridge’s last appearance came on December 6 when he featured for 18 minutes of Liverpool’s 7-0 Champions League victory over Spartak Moscow. He has made just five starts, scoring three goals, as the likes of Roberto Firmino, Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mané and Philippe Coutinho prior to his departure took precedence.
Jürgen Klopp, the Liverpool manager, left Sturridge out of his matchday squad for Saturday’s FA Cup defeat by West Brom aware that the player’s future lay elsewhere after he asked to leave in search of a regular starting role.
Newcastle would be unable to make any more loan signings before Wednesday’s deadline after filling their Premier League quota, having already signed Kenedy, the winger, from Chelsea. They are still in the market for a goalkeeper and have been monitoring Martin Dubravka of Sparta Prague and Slovakia.
Benítez was given the go-ahead by Mike Ashley, Newcastle’s owner, to bring in three new players during a conference call earlier this month and Sturridge’s arrival would bring some optimism to an increasingly frustrated fan base that relegation can be avoided.
Good finisher if he can stay fit - but won't offer much in terms of build-up play. Not to mention he's injury prone AF.
Edit: Lee Ryder now also tweeting about it.
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