Graeme Souness has insisted that Daniel Sturridge will have to change his attitude in order to become a regular with Liverpool next season.

The England international has struggled with numerous injuries over the past few years, and last season, was no exception, with just 11 starts across all competitions. Sturridge has also looked short of fitness ever since his standout season alongside Luis Suarez in 2013/14, and Souness has questioned the marksman's mentality and preparation ahead of games.

He told TalkSPORT: "If Daniel Sturridge didn’t have these issues of keeping fit, he’d be the first name on the team sheet. I think he’s got amazing qualities, but he just can’t get himself fit. I saw a game towards the end of the season and the camera panned on Sturridge and it showed him warming up, and it was pathetic. He wasn’t stretching properly, he was just going through the motions."

The former Chelsea man has been linked with the likes of West Ham United and Newcastle United since the conclusion of last season, but it looks likely that he would remain at Liverpool for the upcoming season.

However, his stay does not guarantee him playing time with Jurgen Klopp having recruited Mohamed Salah, who will compete with the likes of Philippe Coutinho, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane for a role up front. Meanwhile, Dominic Solanke also looks a solid prospect for the future after he netted his first unofficial goal during the Reds' Premier League Asia Trophy game against Crystal Palace.

Liverpool managed to resist a late push from rivals Arsenal in order to clinch a Champion League qualification place and the emphasis will now be on progressing further in the competition starting with the playoffs next month. The Reds have been fairly quiet in the transfer window this summer, and Klopp is hoping to remain patient to pursue his preferred targets which include Southampton's Virgil van Dijk and RB Leipzig's Naby Keita.