The World Cup this year has just a couple of games left and that means it is transfer time in the Premier League. Pretty much every club in the league has been busy scouting for potential additions to their squad this summer and Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool stand as one of the busiest.
The German tactician took the club to three finals in his time at Anfield but is yet to win one. He looks determined to change that next season, as he hopes to improve quality and depth to his side. One such player, inching closer to joining the club is Xherdan Shaqiri.
The Swiss international, picked up a goal and an assist in the World Cup recently but failed to take his team past the Round of 16. That is after he was relegated with Stoke City, in spite of registering eight goals and seven assists in the English league, in 36 starts.
He is a gifted footballer, who can produce moments of magic to win his side crucial games, was a transfer target for the Reds, even before he joined the Potters back in 2015. Shaqiri claimed 15 goals and 15 assists in 92 games in these three years, gathering valuable experience at the bet365 Stadium.
He can play on either wing or as a playmaker, can create and score goals consistently and is one of the most skillful players in the country. At just 26, he can still improve but his only flaw remains his reluctance to track back. Klopp needs players to participate in a system that depends on working hard and Shaqiri does not really fit in. However, he is not immobile and is happy to do the dirty work up front, so it will be up to the manager to mend him in his ways.
He has the quality to still turn into one of the best and at Anfield, he definitely has that platform. He will probably be a backup to the likes of Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane on the wings, but he has enough quality to come off the bench and affect games regularly. Liverpool needs squad depth as much as they need quality in the first team. They cannot afford to have injuries ruin any chance of winning silverware and signing Shaqiri is a step in the right direction.
He may not be a player who improves the first team but Shaqiri will be just as crucial for Liverpool to reach new heights. What makes this deal all the more sensible is the fact that Shaqiri has a release clause of around £13m, which, in this era of transfer windows, is an absolute steal. The 26-year old was linked with a move to Liverpool even before the start of the World Cup in Russia, but with Shaqiri now knocked out, it is now claimed that Liverpool have opened talks to sign the winger this summer.
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He has already admitted that he will start looking for clubs in the top tier after Stoke were relegated so this deal makes sense for all involved and should get over the line unless there are any unforeseen circumstances. This move has the potential to turn into one of the bargains of the summer this year.
