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Liverpool ready to sign Stoke's Xherdan Shaqiri in cut-price deal

Transfer news: Jurgen Klopp is said to be swooping in on Stoke City's Xherdan Shaqiri in a bid to strengthen his bench for the next season.

Xherdan Shaqiri, Stoke City and Switzerland attacker (Image: Twitter)

Bengaluru, June 7: Liverpool have had a decent season last term as Jurgen Klopp's men fired punch above their weight to finish fourth in the Premier League while the squad also managed to secure a runner-up medal in the UEFA Champions League.

But for the next season, the Reds are apparently leaving no stone unturned to challenge for the PL title and strengthening their squad in every area from the first team to the bench. The Merseyside side have already acquired a big name from the market following the signing of Monaco's highly rated midfielder Fabinho and are also linked with a sensational move for Lyon's captain Nabil Fekir.

Furthermore, now according to reports, the Reds now have turned their attention towards a backup attacker for the squad, which now have led them to Stoke's Xherdan Shaqiri.

The Swiss international has been the best player for Stoke for the last few seasons. However, he could not help them remain at the Premier league the last term, despite scoring eight goals and assisting seven. Now the forward just last week expressed his desire to continue his football in the top tier, especially in England, and openly admitted to his potential exit from Stoke.

"It is no secret that I will leave the club," he told Aargauer Zeitung earlier last week. "I would love to stay in England, I think the league is perfect for me. It’s the best league with the best players, but I do not want to exclude anything. Everyone wants to compete with the best, that was one reason why I chose the Premier League. And that’s why I want to take the next step now."

Therefore it is clear that the player will be on the move in the coming season. Moreover, with the player only having a relegation release clause of just £12m around, the versatile attacker is now attracting interest from all around the globe, especially from Klopp who knows Shaqiri from his time in the Bundesliga and is now said to be considering a bid to strengthen his bench strength.

Apart from Liverpool, the 26-year-old is also reportedly a strong target of Everton and Leicester. However, with the influence of Klopp and a big club like Liverpool, the UCL runners-up can expect an advantage regarding the deal.

Reportedly, some talks regarding the transfer have already been held between the two parties and a transfer could be completed well before the World Cup.

Shaqiri, back in the summer of 2014m was linked with a move to Liverpool. However, Bayern Munich blocked the potential transfer of the player then and later, the player joined Inter Milan only to come to Stoke.

The 26-year-old is currently with Switzerland’s squad ahead of their World Cup campaign and is expected to play their first game against Brazil on June 17.

Story first published: Thursday, June 7, 2018, 19:40 [IST]
Other articles published on Jun 7, 2018