Sturridge to complete Turkey move – why it’s good that Celtic have missed out

Daniel Sturridge would have been an exciting signing for Celtic, but the negatives would have outweighed the positives.

According to the Mirror, the 29-year-old has “touched down” in Turkey ahead of his move to Trabzonspor.

Celtic were linked with a summer move for the striker, but a deal never came too close to materialising.

Sturridge was tipped to join a number of English clubs, too, and a move to the MLS was also mooted.

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In terms of being a glamorous signing, Sturridge moving to Celtic would have created plenty of excitement this summer.

A superb striker in his prime, the Englishman scored 60 goals in 167 appearances in a Liverpool shirt, arguably performing at a world class level alongside Luis Suarez back in 2013/14.

The Sturridge that tore defenders to shreds five years ago is a long way from the player he is in 2019, however.

Injuries have cruelly robbed him of his pace and dynamism and he no longer possesses the match-winning ability he once did.

There is every chance that he may have fared better in Scotland than in the Premier League, given the undeniable step down in quality, but it wouldn’t have been beneficial enough for Celtic.

For starters, Sturridge’s wages would likely have been vast, testing the Hoop’s financial resolve in the process. Considering his injury record, that would have been a huge risk.

Then there’s the fact that Odsonne Edouard’s progress may have been stunted, with Sturridge no doubt expecting to be a regular had he joined.

Celtic’s current first choice striker is an exciting emerging talent and blocking his path would have felt needless.

The sight of Sturridge in a Celtic shirt would have led to understandable happiness from many supporters, but over time, it would have proven to be an expensive gamble that likely didn’t pay off.