In the doghouse: Ex-Liverpool star Sturridge ‘sued by alleged finder of missing dog after not paying $37K reward’

Ex-Liverpool and England football star Daniel Sturridge is being sued by a man who allegedly found his dog Lucci in Los Angeles in 2019 but did not receive the promised reward money of $37,000, according to reports in the US.

Details of the lawsuit have been obtained by TMZ Sports.

Foster Washington is attempting to take Sturridge to court for not being compensated when allegedly finding the Pomeranian on the street.

The discovery came days after Sturridge, who most recently plied his trade for Turkish Süper Lig club Trabzonspor, had his home in California's largest city robbed.

Posting a video to social media which showed a broken door in the property where the robbers likely gained access, Sturridge pleaded: "Someone find my dog please, I’ll pay anything I’m dead serious. I want my dog back."

Desperately, Sturridge then posted another clip where he said: "I want my dog back and I'll pay whatever. It doesn't matter the cost. Bring my dog back. Twenty, 30 grand ($37,000) whatever it costs."

"You aren't going to get more than that anyway, and if you are let me know and I'll pay more than them. I want my dog back," he finished.

Taking the search campaign as far as local television in the US, with even the LAPD involved to some extent, Sturridge's fears were alleviated when videos surfaced on Twitter showing Lucci safe and sound.

After confirming its identity, the dog was thankfully returned to its rightful master, with one user, KILLAFAME - presumably Washington - replying "Man I got him" to one post and starting another himself which tagged the striker and asked him if a hound in his possession was Lucci alongside a string of photos.

According to Washington and his lawsuit, then, Sturridge never paid up as promised despite earning a reported $40 million over the course of his career.

But Lucci still remains the apple of his eye, with the Birmingham native taking to Instagram to upload a selfie of the pair last week, which has been liked almost 41,000 times.

"With my boy Lucci trying to smile through the pain," he wrote after a family loss.

"R.I.P Nanny Sturridge."