A warrant has been issued for Sturridge’s arrest due to failure to pay a reward to the man who found his dog.

An arrest warrant has been issued for former Liverpool footballer Daniel Sturridge after he failed to appear in Los Angeles court to pay a reward to a man who claims he helped find the forward’s dog, the Daily Mail reports.

The ex-England international publicly offered a reward for help finding the Pomeranian in July 2019 after he reported the animal had been stolen. Rapper Foster Washington said he had found Sturridge’s dog but insisted he had not received the promised payment, prompting him to file a civil lawsuit.

In December 2021, a Los Angeles court ordered the football player to pay Washington $30,000. Sturridge was not present at the hearing, but court documents show he was served with a bench warrant – a subpoena issued by a judge demanding that a defendant be arrested and brought to court. A new hearing is scheduled for November 30.

Washington said he spent more than $10,000 on legal fees.

— For me this is a fundamental question. He promised me money. This is a significant amount of money that could change the life of my family. He thinks he is above the law. He thinks that if he is rich, he doesn’t have to react to what happens. That’s why I had to ask the judge to issue a warrant so that he would pay,” the musician noted.

Sturridge is 34 years old; he previously played for Liverpool, Chelsea, and Manchester City, where he became a two-time Champions League winner.