Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers is hopeful that striker Daniel Sturridge will be fit to return to full training in September.

The 25-year-old England international recently underwent hip surgery in the United States, having seen his campaign ruined by a series of injury problems.

And, while his season is already over, Rodgers has hopes that Sturridge will be ready not too far into the 2015/16 season, although he will not be fit for the beginning of the campaign in August.

Rodgers told reporters: “We’re hopeful the problems and issues he’s had have been resolved with the operation.

“Now he can recover and hopefully get back as quick as he possibly can.

“We’re anticipating it’s going to be around September before he can actually start training and then it’s about getting his fitness up.”

Sturridge scored just five times this season in 18 appearances, having found the net on 21 occasions in the Premier League during the 2013/14 campaign, with Liverpool going close to being crowned champions before being overtaken by Manchester City.

The Reds head into the final three games of the season still challenging for a top-four finish and a Champions League spot, with the Merseysiders four points adrift of Manchester United.

On Sunday they face a tough assignment when they head to Stamford Bridge to take on newly-crowned Premier League champions Chelsea, with the Reds 3.80 to win in the capital.

The two sides have already met three times this season, with the Blues winning the league meeting at Anfield 2-1, while they also won a two-legged Capital One Cup semi-final by a 2-1 aggregate scoreline.