Jurgen Klopp has enthused about Daniel Sturridge’s physical condition, saying it is at its peak since the German took charge of Liverpool.
The England international has been able to deliver on the intense demands during pre-season thus far, with the Reds currently in Hong Kong for the first stanza of their tour.
Day one of LFC's pre-season tour
Having persistently struggled with various injuries over the past three seasons, 27-year-old Sturridge has proved to be sharp and solid since returning from the summer break.
“Daniel could be part of the full pre-season so far, which is a very important thing and not just good for him,” Klopp detailed.
“Every thing we have done so far has been intense and he has been pretty much involved in every session.
“It's the best condition since I'm here. OK, I came in October 2015 and Daniel, I think, was probably injured then.
“Last pre-season was after a tournament and a short break. This year he has had a proper break and is in a good physical shape absolutely.”
Klopp also intends to ensure captain Jordan Henderson gets “as many minutes as possible” as he looks to return to peak fitness following a foot problem.
“He’s ready, he needs games and rhythm because that’s what he missed most in the last few months,” the 50-year-old explained on the midfielder.
“It was a long, long time that we had to play without him and you saw in our first two games that he can run, he has no pain, he’s getting in better and better physical shape.
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“It’s a very important pre-season for him. It’s not the same shape and rhythm as it was before he got injured, but for all the players that's the same.
"The best thing is to play and train as often as possible. He is an outstanding and important player for us.
“It’s very good for him that we have another two-three weeks before we really get going. We’ll give him as many minutes as possible and as many minutes that makes sense for him so we don’t overload him.”
