A blue collar worker based in the Midlands placed a five-figure bet on Daniel Sturridge's club movements during the period in which the Liverpool striker is being investigated for allegedly passing on gambling information, Telegraph Sport can disclose.

The man, from a modest background, wagered the huge bet on the England player joining Inter Milan on loan during last January's transfer window. Just days later, however, Sturridge instead joined West Brom for the remainder of the season.

Given the spectacular failure of the bet, there is no suggestion that Sturridge was involved, but the transaction startled bosses at a leading bookmaker who suspected the gambler might have obtained what he believed was insider information.

The Football Association has refused to confirm whether it is considering the bet in relation to its investigation into Sturridge for alleged gambling breaches.

It had previously been understood Sturridge's loan move to West Brom on January 29 was the central thread to the FA misconduct charge for breaching betting rules. The FA specifically mentioned "the period of January 2018" in its statement, and one of the charges against Sturridge refers to "passing on information which can be used for betting purposes".

In the days before his Baggies switch, Corriere dello Sport reported that Inter had agreed a deal to take Sturridge to Serie A, initially on loan but with an option to buy in the summer. The report surfaced about a week after the Midlands bet was tabled.