• Striker opts for Turkish club after offers from US and China • Sturridge had been banned for breaching FA betting rules

This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

Daniel Sturridge has joined Trabzonspor after the former Liverpool and England striker served a short ban for breaching Football Association betting rules.

The 29-year-old was a free agent after his contract at Liverpool expired this summer and received offers from the US and China before opting for a move to Turkey.

Fenerbahce, where Liverpool’s former director of football Damien Comolli is the sporting director, were also interested in Sturridge but he has signed a three-year contract with their Super Lig rivals. Trabzonspor were among the first clubs to approach Sturridge following his departure from Liverpool.

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He has been free to resume his playing career since 1 August when his ban expired. The former Manchester City and Chelsea forward was fined £75,000 and banned for six weeks – with the final four weeks of the ban suspended – after being found guilty of giving his brother inside information on a possible move to Sevilla in January 2018.

The FA is appealing against the punishment imposed by an independent regulatory commission, believing Sturridge should have been banned for at least six months.