Report: Chelsea keen on Daniel Sturridge as Antonio Conte Searches for New Forward

Daniel Sturridge has been named as a potential target for Premier League champions Chelsea, with Antonio Conte said to be searching for a new backup striker after losing faith in Michy Batshuayi.

Daniel Sturridge has been named as a potential target for Premier League champions Chelsea, with Antonio Conte said to be searching for a new backup striker after losing faith in Michy Batshuayi.

The Belgian scored the goal that won the Blues the title last season and is a huge favourite with the fans. But he doesn't look to have much of a future at Stamford Bridge.

Batshuayi was made to start on the bench against Huddersfield on Tuesday, despite Alvaro Morata being injured. Conte preferred naming a lineup bereft of a recognised striker, starting Eden Hazard, Willian and Pedro up front instead of giving his next best out-and-out option a shot.

According to Sportsmail's Matthew Smith, the Blues could be considering resigning Sturridge, who left the club in 2013 to join the Reds.

"Sturridge left Chelsea in January 2013 for Anfield due to a lack of game time, but five years later could be making the return trip after being stuck with bench-warming duties this season," he writes.

Smith also named Moussa Dembele, Andrea Belotti, Christian Benteke, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Richmond Boakye as options Conte could be considering, with all of the aforementioned getting linked to the Blues during the summer.

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Sturridge is also said to be desperate to get some minutes under his belt given that the next World Cup is looming. But fans will have concerns over the forward's injury history, in spite of the fact that they're still quite fond of him.

The England international has missed well over 500 days through injury since the 2012/13 season, which is the reason he isn't counted on in the first place. He's currently out with a hamstring problem, having missed the Merseyside derby on the weekend.