Liverpool star Daniel Sturridge can be like 'two new signings'... he is in brilliant shape, claims Adam Lallana

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Adam Lallana has illustrated Daniel Sturridge’s importance to Liverpool by insisting the rejuvenated striker will have the impact of ‘two new signings’.

The England forward ended last season with questions hanging over his fitness and his future at Anfield; he was given injections in his hip to address a persistent problem in May and many felt he would seek a new challenge during this window.

Sturridge worked hard during his break, though, to ensure he returned to Melwood in a good physical condition and the 27-year-old has not indicated he wants to uproot from his base in the North West. He is committed to attacking the new campaign with Liverpool.

Daniel Sturridge is set to have a massive impact for Liverpool this season if he can stay fit

Adam Lallana has seen first-hand how Sturridge has worked his way back to full fitness

His approach has struck a chord with his team-mates, who have no doubt Sturridge can get back to the devastating levels he showed in 2013-14. Lallana gave an indication of how highly they regard Liverpool’s No 15 with a glowing appraisal.

‘Studge has been absolutely brilliant in pre-season so far,’ said Lallana. ‘He’s looking really sharp and to have him firing on all cylinders would be like having two new signings, if we can keep him on the pitch and get him scoring goals. He is a world-class player.

‘He has come back from the summer in brilliant shape, so fit. He is going to be a massive player for us this season. I can feel it. You couldn’t put a price on him. Every footballer gets injuries – Jordan (Henderson) has had a tough couple of years.

‘We all have to deal with it at some stage in our career. But we have got plenty of options and if we keep everyone fit, who knows what can happen? We’re looking good at the minute. The last week has been strictly about football here and that’s what you want as a player.’

The striker (pictured right) has suffered a number of injuries over the past two campaigns

But his hard work in pre-season means he has been able to participate in their summer fixtures

Liverpool have been based in the Bavarian town of Rottach Egern since last Wednesday and Jurgen Klopp has not spared his players, training them three times a day; they looked sharp when beating Hertha Berlin 3-0 on Saturday.

It was their fourth win in five warm-up fixtures and they will now look to make another step forward in the Audi Cup; they play Bayern Munich on Tuesday then Atletico Madrid or Napoli on Wednesday.

Yet much of the talk about Liverpool this summer has been about their inability to add star signings to Klopp’s group; the pursuit of Southampton’s Virgil Van Dijk remains deadlocked and they have ended their interest in RB Leipzig midfielder Naby Keita.

Had Keita arrived, it would have made an already cramped midfield even more congested but Lallana is not perturbed by the idea that those players who helped Liverpool finish in the top four last season have it all to prove to Klopp once again.

Lallana insisted he would be happy to have competed for place with £70m-rated Naby Keita

‘I want the best players to be linked with Liverpool and coming to Liverpool,’ Lallana insisted. ‘If you are talking about it from a personal point of view, the pressure to get better and the competition for places is healthy. That is what we need.

‘At times last year, our bench probably wasn’t as strong as we’d have liked it to be. If we are going to achieve something, we are going to need a strong bench. You only have to look at the substitutions the manager is making. He can replace pace with pace and goals with goals.

‘We need a strong squad and players need to be on their toes. It’s all good. We don’t need major changes just little tweaks. If you are talking about it from a personal point of view, the pressure to get better and the competition for places is healthy.’