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The former Liverpool striker will be eligible to sign for a new club and begin playing again on June 17th.
Earlier today, Liverpool fans were greeted by the rather puzzling news that Daniel Sturridge and Trabzonspor had mutually agreed to terminate the 30-year-old striker’s contract.
It was a piece of news that led to immediate and rather wishful suggestions by some that he should re-join the Reds on a short-term deal—though those suggestions ran up against the reality that he would not be eligible to be registered by the Reds.
Now we learn that even if he had been eligible to be registered, he would not have been eligible to play as Sturridge has been suspended from all footballing activities until the 17th of June.
This is due to the Football Association appealing an Independent Regulatory Commission decision to hand Sturridge a two-week ban and £75k fine last summer for a case where the striker was charged with feeding his brother inside information that was then used to place bets.
The FA believed that ruling had been too lenient, and today they won their case. Along with extending the ban, the fine was doubled to £150k. Shortly before news of the ruling was made official, Sturridge and Trabzonspor agreed part ways.
“Daniel Sturridge has been suspended from all football and football-related activity from today until the end of 17 June, 2020,” began a statement from The FA.
“The Appeal Board agreed with The FA that the penalty originally imposed on Mr. Sturridge was unduly lenient and therefore increased his effective playing ban from two weeks to four months. The Appeal Board also doubled the fine to £150k.”
With a return to England in the summer unlikely and his time in Turkey now at an end, a summer move to MLS could represent the likeliest next step in Sturridge’s career once he is again eligible to play.
