Chelsea forward Daniel Sturridge has once more been heavily linked with an imminent move to Anfield...
There have been so many new rumours of late, we picked out a few of the more feasible ones only last week, that Liverpool FC have probably been linked with every available striker in the world and consequently it is not surprising to see old ground now being recovered.
In the wake of Saturday's 3-0 victory over Wigan Athletic, club chairman Tom Werner further fanned the flames by admitting: "We know that January is a challenging time and I don't want to say we've got X or Y player, but hopefully the fans will be pleased with what we do accomplish.
"I don't want to say more than I've said in that it is our intention to strengthen the squad. But the intention to deliver is our priority."
Based on the amount of column inches which have been filled by Daniel Sturridge to Liverpool rumours this year it is difficult not to attach the old adage of there being no smoke without fire.
Surely there must be something in a link when it is repeated again and again by almost every known media outlet, reliable or otherwise? Not every single report can be baseless and without some sort of foundation, source or insight, right?
Well what we do know is the Reds did at least consider the player as a potential target during the summer, as they would have done with hundreds of other attacking options, and it is certainly no secret that Sturridge has become increasingly unhappy at being on the periphery of things at Stamford Bridge.
A move didn't transpire in August, according to reports, chiefly as Liverpool wanted a loan deal with a view to a permanent move in the future. The Blues, as well as preferring a straight cash offer, would also have been left with only Fernando Torres as an out-and-out striking option had they sanctioned the move.
With Sturridge largely remaining on the sidelines ever since and the Blues known to be looking at new strikers come January, including Columbian hotshot Radamel Falcao, the chances of the 23-year-old leaving have clearly increased.
One thing which is more arguable however is the proposed fee of 15m which many seem to be bandying about. There appears to be some confusion regarding the length of contract Sturridge has remaining at Chelsea, with a four year deal known to have been penned when he joined in 2009.
That would mean he is out of contract at the end of this season but even if there is an option on the club's part for an additional year, as many believe, 15m still seems a little steep for someone who hardly figures in their first-team plans and who joined for a tribunal set fee of as little as 3m.
The former Manchester City player clearly has some pedigree; first coming to prominence in the 2008-09 season as a teenager and winning the Citizen's Young Player of the Season award. With his contract coming to an end that summer and chances potentially limited by the lavish spending of the club's new owners, Sturridge opted for a move to London.
A slow start at Stamford Bridge resulted in a highly successful loan spell at Bolton Wanderers towards the end of the 2010-11 campaign where he scored an impressive 8 goals in 12 games but life back at Chelsea has again been a frustrating experience despite the success of the club as a whole.
The England international had to wait until last weekend's 2-1 defeat to West Bromwich Albion for his first Premier League start of the season and he is also known to favour a central role as opposed to the wide position in which he often finds himself deployed.
Vital Verdict
Sturridge could be a very handy acquisition for a Liverpool side clearly short of attacking options and quality. After the failure to replace the likes of Craig Bellamy, Dirk Kuyt and Andy Carroll, Brendan Rodgers has struggled to find the right balance in his favoured 4-3-3 system and, other than via Uruguayan magician Luis Suarez, goals have been in short supply. Many will understandably feel a poacher-type front man such as Klaas-Jan Huntelaar would be a better option but that would mean Suarez being moved from the main central role in which he has flourished. Sturridge however could, perhaps against his own personal preferences, easily succeed in one of the wider forward roles as well as providing an alternative through the middle. Either way the attacker is certainly a viable purchase, especially if the fee was say below 10m, although there does remain the odd question mark over the striker's attitude and temperament which could add an air of caution to proceedings.
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