The long wait is finally over for Daniel Sturridge as he joins Perth Glory, after 19 months away from the pitch.
Sturridge’s contract with Turkish club Trabzonspor was terminated in 2019 and he moved back home.
He recently moved to Perth Glory on free transfer marking a new beginning to his football career that was waning fast.
While the 32-year-old Liverpool striker waited for another chance, he trained with Real Mallorca over the summer.
And this increased his chance of landing a new role with Perth Glory. Sturridge will now play for the club in the 2021/22 season.
Daniel Sturridge ‘Begs’ For Job After 18 Months In The Cold
Is Daniel Sturridge Excited After Signing With Perth Glory?
Commenting about this new opportunity, Sturridge described it as fantastic and ready for a new challenge in his career.
“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,” he told Sky Sports.
All his focus is on his new club and he hopes to put his best foot forward for the sake of the club.
“I’m going to put my best foot forward, work hard and try and help the team win each game that comes by and then we’ll see where we end up when the season finishes.
“I can’t wait to play at HBF Park and hopefully put a smile on a lot of faces.”
Why Did Daniel Sturriddge Stay For 18 Months With No Club?
Trouble started months after his move to the Trabzonspor from Liverpool. He is alleged to have breached betting rules forcing the club to terminate his contract.
By then, he had scored seven goals for the club in 16 matches he played before the contract was terminated.
The betting controversy was investigated and was found guilty of deeply and adversely affected his football career.
Besides his contract being terminated, he got a global four-month football ban. Looking at this record, it put him at pains with prospective cubs.
The Englishman started out at Chelsea before a major move to Liverpool. He was no big fish at the time but he honed his art at Liverpool that he was noticed far and beyond the Premier League.
When he moved to the Turkish club, he was a big star hoping to leave a footprint in Trabzonspor.
Did Daniel Sturridge Beg For A Job Indirectly?
While marking his 32nd birthday in September, he made a subtle post depicting a man who would give everything to get back his football career.
In an Instagram post, Sturridge said that: “Year 32. More motivated than I’ve ever been in my life to be successful. Older, wiser, and fit as a fiddle. God is good. Thanks, everyone for the birthday messages. Means a lot.”
Sturridge is the latest high-profile player to move to Australia, following in the footsteps of former Premier League stars including Robbie Fowler, Dwight Yorke, William Gallas, Harry Kewell and Tim Cahill.
Daniel Sturridge Football Stats
Born in Birmingham, England, Sturridge, his love for football took him to Aston Villa, Manchester City and Coventry City. He played the youth leagues before graduating to the senior league.
He played for Chelsea for four years and joined the national team. His star shone brightly at the 2014 World Cup and Euro 2016.
At Liverpool – which he joined in 2013 – he was a highly dependable striker and so was he for the Turkish Club before his unceremonious exit.
Daniel Sturridge. [talkSPORT]
Why Does Perth Glory Say About Sturridge?
The Australian Club hails this as the biggest signing in its history.
Perth Glory Coach Richard Garcia hails Sturridge’s signing as a great deal and speaks highly of his motivation and ambition.
“Daniel’s quality on the park speaks for itself and it is fantastic for the club and the league that a player of Daniel’s calibre is joining us.
“His motivation and drive aligns with the values and ambitions of the team and the club as a whole,” Garcia maintains.
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