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Sturridge rubbishes Chelsea contract row talk

Daniel Sturridge has his eye on silverware this term © Getty Images

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Daniel Sturridge has rubbished suggestions he has demanded a new deal at Chelsea.

The forward's form for the Blues this term has earned him England recognition and it had been claimed that he was looking for a new deal.

There were also suggestions that Sturridge was unhappy the club had failed to open talks about extending his current deal, which still has more than two years to run, but he claims this is not the case.

"I love playing for Chelsea," Sturridge said. "Some of the stuff I've read about me asking for a contract is not true. I've not spoken to the club to ask for a new contract, or told them I'm unhappy. I'm just doing a job. Working hard.

"I'm not worrying about my contract. It's not true. I'm committed to Chelsea."

Sturridge has called on his team-mates to start doing their talking on rather than off the pitch as he sets his sights on FA Cup and Champions League glory.

Sturridge, who won his second England cap against Netherlands on Wednesday night, is calling for a positive response from the entire squad ahead of Saturday's Premier League clash at West Brom. Meanwhile, the future of Blues manager Andre Villas-Boas has been the subject of much speculation while several players have been reported to be in disagreement with his tactics and policies, but the 22-year-old is adamant the team must focus on the task at hand.

"I just think everyone has to knuckle down and do their job, and focus on winning games for Chelsea," Sturridge said. "Everybody talks. It's just time to go out and do a job on the football field. That's where our talking is done.

"It doesn't matter what we say off the field. We have to do our talking on the field. It's pointless talking off the field. It's not going to change anything.

"A successful season now would be winning the FA Cup or the Champions League. If we could do one or the other it would be great. I think we've got to get some sort of silverware, and to get in the top four, to qualify for next season's Champions League. We've got to push on from where we are now until the end of the season and try to get up the table."

Sturridge is quick to praise Villas-Boas in helping with his development as a player and also believes he will benefit from his spell out wide even though he sees his long-term position as a central striker.

"The manager has helped me a lot," he said. "He's playing me a lot so I can't complain. I've not had a Chelsea manager do that for me before.

"It's helped me so much because previously I've not had a chance to play week in and week out, except when I was on loan at Bolton. To play at one of the best clubs in the world and start every week is a dream come true."

Sturridge added: "I've always seen myself as a striker. I've played that position since I was six or seven years old. But in the meantime I have to make do with playing out wide. I have to alter my game a little bit. There's a lot more work to be done.

"I have to keep chasing back and chasing full-backs. It's completely different to playing up front. But I think it's gone well so far and hopefully I can continue improving as a player. When I do go back to playing as a centre-forward I'll be a better player for it."

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