In a recent tweet, renowned journalist Nicolo Schira claimed that Liverpool winger Xherdan Shaqiri is on Lazio’s radar this summer. It is believed that the Italian outfit are willing to turn their attention towards the Reds outcast after missing out on signing David Silva, who has decided to join Real Sociedad instead in this off-season.
After the loss of David Silva (he has signed with Real Sociedad) #Lazio are looking #Liverpool’s player Xherdan #Shaqiri and the free agent Jack #Bonaventura. #transfers #LFC
— Nicolò Schira (@NicoSchira) August 18, 2020
Shaqiri’s Growing Frustrations At Anfield
The Swiss dribbler endured a frustrating season at Merseyside as he struggled to earn a regular place in Jurgen Klopp’s match-day squad. Shaqiri was sidelined for several games last season due to a calf injury. He found the back of the net on one occasion in 11 appearances for the champions of England in the previous campaign.
With two UEFA Champions League medals already in his trophy cabinet, the 28-year-old should now focus on securing uninterrupted game time so that he can find some form at the highest level next season. Shaqiri has usually played a sporadic role at Anfield over the past couple of seasons and has proven himself to be a tidy distributor of the ball in the opposition half after completing 83.5% of his attempted passes in the English top tier (stats via whoscored).
At the moment, Shaqiri’s situation at Liverpool might not improve as Jurgen Klopp has got plenty of other offensive options in his squad. Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, Divock Origi, Takumi Minamino and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are all ahead of the ex-Basel wide player in the Anfield pecking order. Hence, the 82-capped Swiss international needs to seal a move away from Merseyside in search of greener pastures this summer if he wants to make the most out of the remainder of his playing career.
What Does The Swiss Attacker Offer On The Field?
Shaqiri has shown that he has still got the pace and dribbling ability to cause all sorts of problems for the opposition. He loves to cut inside from the right flank so that he can open up some space to bend a few shots in at goal. The Swiss star can be a potent goal-threat from long range and has got the eye to play a decisive through-ball in the final third. However, frequent injures have hampered his progress in recent seasons, which is why he needs to seek a move elsewhere in the hopes of getting more playing time week in week out.
Should The Reds Sanction Shaqiri’s Exit This Summer?
Klopp has mainly used Shaqiri as an impact substitute over the past 12 months. However, if Lazio are willing to offer him a more prominent role, then Liverpool should not stand in the player’s way this summer. The Reds should instead concentrate on using the money generated from Shaqiri’s potential sell to strengthen their attacking department even further.
Shaqiri is surplus to requirements at Merseyside, so the 2019 FIFA Club World Cup winners should sanction his departure which could open the door for Lazio to win the chase for his signature. At 28, the Swiss wing wizard has still got a few years left in the tank to succeed at the highest level, so he is likely to welcome the opportunity to embark on a new adventure this summer.
