In the past couple of weeks, there have been murmurs in the British press that Chelsea striker Daniel Sturridge is unhappy at the club. Rumours have suggested that the English star has become disillusioned with the state of the club both on and off of the pitch, and for this reason would like to move on in the near future.
Speaking to British tabloid The Sun, a close friend of Sturridge's said:
Daniel will be distraught if Chelsea finish outside the top four—he's desperate to prove himself at the highest level and that means he wants Champions League football, not Europa League.
Alongside the chance that Chelsea might not finish in the top four, Sturridge is also concerned by the fact that he is constantly played out of position. Andre Villas-Boas has stuck by Fernando Torres at centre-forward this season, pushing Sturridge out to the right wing—could Sturridge have had a more prolific season if AVB had trusted him in the centre of attack?
Despite being played out of position, Sturridge has notched 10 goals in the EPL this season—more than double teammate Torres' four.
Reports this week have suggested that Chelsea could be considering a straight swap with London rivals Arsenal for Theo Walcott, but should Man United dive in with an offer? I personally think that the England striker could be the missing link that United are looking for.
Sturridge and current United star Danny Welbeck (or "The Two Dannys," as they've been dubbed) are considered England's next big striker partnership. The two have spent years together coming through England's youth ranks and would no doubt relish the opportunity to play alongside each other for both club and country.Prior to the Under-21 European Championships, Welbeck said the following:
It's good to play alongside Daniel [Sturridge]. You get to know each other and get to develop an understanding with each other and hopefully we can take that with us into the championships. We know where the other is going to be when we play in the front three together, whether we start in the middle or out wide.
I think that signing Sturridge could pave the way to a Yorke and Cole-esque partnership in terms of two players who understand each other so well. On top of this, United already have Javier Hernandez, who is a natural successor to United legend Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in terms of the impact that he can make from the bench and his natural role as a poacher.
This leaves Wayne Rooney with the Sheringham role—which admittedly isn't a great fit, but eventually this would be filled by Will Keane, who has often been likened to the ex-United hitman.
That leaves you with a United strike force with a flavour of '99—four or five really good (and interchangeable) strikers who can keep the goals flowing.
OK, so that may be put down as a madcap idea, but there is no doubting Sturridge's talents, and with Michael Owen and Dimitar Berbatov seemingly at the end of their respective times with United, Sturridge could be the perfect fresh blood to bring into the squad.
Many people have pointed out that Welbeck and Sturridge are very alike, both in terms of how they play their football and personality-wise as well. One big difference is their preferred foot—Sturridge plays primarily on his left while Welbeck favours the right.
Physically they are very similar players—they are both strong and imposing players, but at the same time they are quick on their feet and have great technique. Equally, they have the same weaknesses. Both are somewhat cocky players, which can lead to wasted opportunities when the pass is available. However, the other side of the coin is that they will take a lot more of their chances than the average player, which could potentially lead to more goals.So how could this be employed tactically? Rooney and Welbeck are a match made in heaven right now and Sturridge wouldn't be happy warming the bench. A 4-4-2 diamond formation would be suitable, using Welbeck and Sturridge up top with Rooney just behind them working as an advanced playmaker, and have Chicarito and Keane on the bench as the impact substitutes.
With all three of Rooney, Sturridge and Welbeck in the England setup, the chemistry could be phenomenal.
Alternatively, United could play with three up front, with Rooney on the left, Welbeck in the middle and Sturridge on the right-hand side—a position which he has proved he can play, despite preferring to play at centre-forward.
Of course, the stumbling block could be his price tag. However, with his contract expiring next summer, he could be available for a very reasonable price. His future could hinge on whether Andre Villas-Boas remains at Chelsea past May.
Would you like to see Sturridge plying his trade at Old Trafford? Or do you think the idea is ridiculous? Make sure you get your views heard in the comments section.
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