Champions League and Premier League title-winner Daniel Sturridge was announced as a Perth Glory player last night, in one of the most significant transfers in Australian domestic football history.
The 32-year-old former Liverpool and Chelsea striker has signed a one-year deal with the Western Australian club, following a 19-month break without a club after injury concerns and a ban following a breach of betting rules.
Whilst reaction from Australia was immediate, after the 12pm AEST announcement, the English press woke up to the news on Friday morning.
The story made the homepages and social media channels of both top UK football news outlets Sky Sports and BBC Sport, while Goal.com tweeted the news to their three million followers.
Perth Glory open their season at home to Adelaide United on November 19, and Adelaide striker Kusini Yengi took to Twitter to express his excitement at facing the England international.
Sturridge himself has described the move as an “exciting opportunity to try a new challenge”, whilst Glory owner Tony Sage called the move the “one of the biggest signings not only in Glory’s history, but in the history of the A-League.”
The Perth Glory take on Adelaide United in Round One of the 2021/22 A-League Men’s Season on the 20th of November.
