West Brom Will Reportedly Beat Newcastle to Daniel Sturridge Loan Deal

West Bromwich Albion are reportedly set to beat Newcastle United to the loan signing of Liverpool forward Daniel Sturridge.

According to John Percy of the Daily Telegraph, Sturridge is set to have a medical with the Baggies on Monday:

It was earlier reported by George Caulkin and Paul Joyce of The Times the Magpies were confident they could agree a deal that would see the striker arrive for the remainder of the season.

"The final details on a temporary switch from Liverpool are in the process of being thrashed out with Sturridge increasingly minded to stay in England as he looks to reignite his stalled career," it was noted. "Newcastle will have to pay a loan fee of about £1.5 million and cover the player’s wages of about £120,000-a-week for the remainder of the season."

Caulkin provided further information on Twitter:

Dominic King of the Daily Mail also reported that moves to Sevilla or Inter Milan is now looking unlikely:

For Sturridge, a move away from Anfield appears to be on the cards before Wednesday's transfer deadline passes.

The striker has found minutes hard to come by in 2017-18, with manager Jurgen Klopp preferring Roberto Firmino at the point of his attack. Sturridge has only started five games in the Premier League, netting two goals.

In recent weeks, the 28-year-old has been unable to get on the pitch at all for the Reds, with his last appearance coming in the UEFA Champions League as a substitute against Spartak Moscow in December.

Sturridge wasn't even in the squad for Saturday's showdown with West Brom. Per Neil Jones of the Liverpool Echo, the Liverpool manager said the decision was a football one:

The England international has enjoyed some brilliant spells on Merseyside, particularly in 2013-14, when he linked up with Luis Suarez to stunning effect. The Reds came up just short in a surprising title push that season.

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Sturridge has been prolific throughout his Liverpool career. While his performances have been limited by injury woes in recent years, typically the striker makes an impact on games he's in the team, and he remains one of the most natural finishers in the Premier League.

Should Sturridge leave, the Reds would be a little short of depth up top. James Pearce of the Liverpool Echo believes a replacement for the forward is imperative:

If Newcastle were able to bring him in, manager Rafael Benitez would hope to harness the talent that Sturridge has to propel the side out of trouble. The Magpies are embroiled in a big relegation battle, as they sit in 15th in the Premier League, just one point clear of the bottom three.

However, West Brom appear to have won the race to land the forward, and given they sit in 19th spot, his arrival will be a major boost in their attempts to preserve their top-flight status.