The 25-year-old underwent surgery in the United States to cure the long-standing issue and has stayed out in America all summer to undergo his rehabilitation after initially being told he may be out until November.
Advertisement
Sturridge hopes to be fit for selection following the next global break – England have European Championship qualifiers with San Marino on Sept 5 and Switzerland on Sept 8.
And if all goes well, he can target the visit to Old Trafford on September 12 as his comeback date.
Sturridge made only seven Premier League starts last season because of a series of injuries, and did not play for Liverpool at all between the end of August 2014 and the end of January 2015 after suffering two thigh problems and a calf injury. It is believed the hip complaint may have been the trigger for other injury problems.
The news will come as a major boost to Brendan Rodgers as there’s no doubt Liverpool missed Sturridge greatly last season having only managed to score 52 league goals in his absence. Origi, Ings and Balotelli on the bench. Prior to last season, Sturridge scored 35 goals in the first 18 months of his Liverpool career.
Sturridge’s injuries proved debilitating not only for himself but the rest of the team.
After a season in which the Northern Irishman was forced to use the aforementioned Sterling as a striker with alarming regularity, he now has a wealth of options to lead the line, and although this is a real positive, news of Sturridge potentially returning in roughly a month’s time will throw up a real headache.
Advertisement
The striker then tore a hip muscle during Liverpool’s 2-1 Premier League defeat at home to Manchester United on March 22.
