Daniel Sturridge

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Daniel Sturridge (born September 1, 1989) is a striker at football club Manchester City. Sturridge has excelled at youth level and has scored numerous times for the England Under-17 side, most notably at the European Under-17 Championship in the final against Italy. He has recently signed a new 3 year deal, almost ending speculation that Chelsea are going to sign him.

He attracted Chelsea's interest after his incredible performances for Manchester City's U19's after their run to the final of the FA youth cup. Despite his two incredible long range efforts in the second leg against Liverpool they still succumbed to defeat after a 3-2 aggregate loss.

Sturridge, now 17, started out at Aston Villa and joined Coventry's academy as a 12-year-old, staying for just 14 months before deciding to make the switch to Man City in 2003.

A Football League appeals committee in 2006 has ordered Manchester City to pay Coventry City £30,000 compensation for Sturridge, a fee that will rise to £200,000 if he fulfils his potential and goes on to make 40 first team appearances and earns an international cap.

On top of that, Coventry will get 10 per cent of any future transfer fee if he is sold at a future date.

MATCH magazine named Daniel 'The Next Big Thing' in British football, in their 2007 annual. He became only the second player to earn this title following in the footsteps of his former England Youths strikepartner, Theo Walcott - the 2006 winner!

He is the nephew of former Derby County forward Dean Sturridge, and ex-Stoke City player Simon Sturridge.