Daniel Sturridge's loan move to Inter Milan back on after Liverpool slash fee

Liverpool forward Daniel Sturridge has been cleared to join Inter Milan after the Reds slashed their demands pertaining to the loan fee, which was proving to be a stumbling block in the transfer. The 28-year-old is keen to make his way out of the club after struggling for game time this season and wants to improve his chances of making Gareth Southgate's England squad to the World Cup in Russia.

The English forward endured a difficult 2017 and has not played since early December last year because of a thigh injury. The Mirror reports that his record with setbacks over the past few years is the reason why the loan deal was delayed as the Italians were not willing to invest as much money on a player whose long-term fitness remains a concern. However, with the fee slashed to £1.5m, the deal can now go ahead without further delay.

Sturridge has only 18 months left on his Liverpool contract which sees him earning as much as £150,000 per week. His last prolific season at Anfield came under previous manager Brendan Rodgers in the 2013/14 campaign, when he scored 21 goals as the Reds finished only two points behind Manchester City in the race for the title.

Since then, he has not completed 20 games in a league season and has not been deemed a key figure in the squad this season even when fit. Summer signing Dominic Solanke has also moved ahead of Sturridge in the Anfield pecking order in recent weeks while Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has also seen more game time than the England international.

The forward did not make the squad against West Bromwich Albion in their FA Cup fourth round tie and it is clear that Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp does not see him as someone important to his plans.

"I have never in my life promised a player game time for the next few months," Klopp said while talking about Sturridge's chances of playing regularly in the second half of the season, as quoted by the Liverpool Echo.

"It is not possible. We have mentioned all the things like it was so far. When Daniel is fit, training, in shape, he is still an outstanding striker – there is no doubt about that. But he did not play the last few weeks for different reasons.

"Of course, one of them was Roberto Firmino's performance and Dom Solanke's development. And Daniel being in and out of training. In general, more in than out. But at times when he was in, he was a little unlucky with the games," Klopp added.