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Ex-Liverpool striker Sturridge invited to train with Mallorca after 15 months without a club

Former Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge has been invited to train with Mallorca after spending the last 15 months without a club.

Sturridge has been out of football since seeing his contract with Trabzonspor terminated by mutual consent back in March 2020.

The 31-year-old recently posted videos of him training alone with a view to returning to the professional game for the 2021-22 campaign, and Mallorca have now offered him a timely opportunity ahead of their return to La Liga.

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What's been said?

The Palma-based outfit, who gained automatic promotion after finishing second in the Spanish Segunda last term, have requested Sturridge's presence for the start of their pre-season campaign on Wednesday.

A statement on the club's official website reads: "RCD Mallorca has extended an invitation for Daniel Sturridge (Birmingham, England, 1989) to participate from tomorrow, July 14, in the club's first-team training sessions as part of its preparation process."

Why was Sturridge released by Trabzonspor?

Sturridge joined Trabzonspor as a free agent after leaving Liverpool in July 2019, and he went on to score seven goals in 16 appearances for the Super Lig club.

The former England international initially signed for Trabzonspor on a three-year deal, but that agreement was cut short after he was hit with a four-month ban from football for breaching betting rules.

Sturridge's Premier League career

Sturridge began his professional career at Manchester City in 2006, and spent three years at Etihad Stadium before joining Chelsea, where he became a Premier League winner.

He established himself as one of the most promising young forwards in English football at Stamford Bridge, but ended up being sold to Liverpool for £12 million in 2013 after failing to nail down a spot in the Blues' starting XI.

Sturridge helped Liverpool fight for the league title in his first season at Anfield, forming one-third of a fearsome attacking trident alongside Luis Suarez and Raheem Sterling, but after the Reds were edged out by City, he began to struggle with persistent injury problems.

The experienced frontman remained on Liverpool's books for another five years, and although he was unable to rediscover his best form, managed to pick up a Champions League winners' medal in his final season on Merseyside under Jurgen Klopp.

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