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Amid talk of an Anfield walkout in protest at rising ticket prices, Jurgen Klopp woke up to reports that Daniel Sturridge is also eyeing the exit door.

The injury-plagued England international apparently is ‘fed up with public criticism of his desire to play’ and believes ‘it’s time for a fresh start’ this summer.

Supporters will be wondering whether the first shots have been fired in the latest in a growing line of damaging Liverpool transfer sagas which tend to result in the club’s top talent moving on.

Sources close to Sturridge have distanced themselves from the suggestion that he’s intent on quitting Anfield at the end of the season.

Liverpool themselves are relaxed about the situation and aren’t contemplating the prospect of off-loading a striker who remains under contract until 2019.

The timing of the stories is certainly strange given that we could hardly be any further away from the opening of the transfer window.

If Sturridge does want out, what’s to be gained from making that public now?

The frontman is on the brink of a comeback after finally returning to full training this week – two months after he suffered a hamstring strain against Newcastle.

Since Suarez left, Sturridge has started 16 of Liverpool's 96 games

Yet it’s clear that there’s huge frustration on both sides at the manner in which Sturridge’s career has gone off the rails over the past two seasons.

Since the dizzy heights of 2013/14 when Sturridge netted 24 goals in 33 appearances, he has suffered from a whole host of muscle injuries.

The hip surgery he underwent in New York last May was supposed to provide a long-term solution but the problems have continued to stack up.

Since Luis Suarez was sold to Barcelona in the summer of 2014, Sturridge has started just 16 of the Reds’ 96 fixtures. So much for becoming Anfield’s main man.

The 26-year-old has played just 108 minutes of football since Klopp took over four months ago.

“I’m back training and good to go,” Sturridge tweeted on Boxing Day but the German wasn’t convinced.

Tired of Sturridge repeatedly breaking down, he ordered him to undergo a “mini pre-season”. He made it clear he would only be considered for selection if he put together seven to 10 days of high intensity training. Until now that’s proved beyond him.

Sturridge believes he could have played before now and has been hurt by the ongoing criticism about him being mentally weak and unwilling or unable to perform with any discomfort. He believes the club could have done more to fight his corner.

Yet Brendan Rodgers frequently bemoaned Sturridge’s reluctance to train or play unless he was 100% and Steven Gerrard eluded to the same issue in his recent autobiography. That’s why Klopp’s comment about needing to “learn what is serious pain and what is only pain” struck such a chord.

The next four months will go a long way to defining Sturridge’s Liverpool career. It’s a crucial period for him as he looks to put his injury heartache behind him and regain his England spot ahead of Euro 2016.

If he knuckles down and stays fit, the goals will flow, the hurt of recent months will ease and he will become central to Klopp’s long-term plans.

The £12million Liverpool paid Chelsea for him three years ago will once again look like small change.

However, if he’s reunited with the treatment table and his tale of Anfield woe goes on then speculation about his future won’t go away.

Some argue that Sturridge’s availability must be treated as a bonus, but that belies the fact he’s the club’s highest earner on around £150,000 per week.

If he’s unable to live up to that star billing, Liverpool would have to consider cashing in their chips. Although the number of clubs willing to take on that kind of wage would be small, especially for someone with such a chequered injury record.

The hope is that it doesn’t come to that. Sturridge, now fit and close to making his long-awaited return, should be licking his lips at the prospect of spearheading a new era under Klopp.

Relations may have become strained during a dark period for the striker but Sturridge needs to forget about the past and focus on getting back to doing what he does best.

Liverpool’s season is in desperate need of a lift and he can provide it.