Xherdan Shaqiri is on the market, provided a potential suitor offers us enough money.
This is because of his inability to adapt to Jurgen Klopp’s tactical demands, according to respected correspondent Neil Jones, who wrote this in Goal:
“Xherdan Shaqiri, though, endured a frustrating second half to the campaign and appears to be out of step with what Klopp demands tactically. A good offer would convince Liverpool to do business for the Swiss.”
The playmaker has endured an odd season.
Underused at first, Shaqiri started to impress in the winter months, culminating in a sublime, match-winning performance against Manchester United at Anfield.
At the time, there were genuine claims from Reds suggesting he should start ahead of ‘out of form’ Mo Salah on the right-wing.
But as 2019 arrived, Jurgen Klopp abandoned the 4-2-3-1 formation and played a more defensively solid 4-3-3 which usually included three out and out midfielders.
Since then, Shaq has only really been an option from the bench, playing the full 90 minutes just once since the FA Cup defeat to Wolves on January 7.
That came v Barcelona at Anfield, although he wasn’t one of the better players in our 4-0 victory.
We like Shaqiri off the bench, and actually think he was not given a fair crack in the second-half of the campaign – but Klopp naturally has his reasons.
If there’s a big upgrade available, go for it – but we’d keep the 27-year-old around if it were up to us.