Bringing in Mario Gotze on a Bosman free transfer is one of many options being considered by Liverpool, EOTK understands.
Xherdan Shaqiri looks set for an exit after a season in which he’s barely featured. In fact, going back to January 2019, the Swiss has made just five Premier League appearances and is clearly surplus to requirements, despite being loved by the fans and providing us some great moments early on.
If Liverpool can get a decent fee for Shaqiri – say, between £15m and £20m – Gotze on a free would be potentially astute business. And it’s not like the German’s fitness issues will have a huge bearing considering how little Shaqiri has been available for Liverpool.
At 27, Gotze has just confirmed he’ll be departing Borussia Dortmund at the end of this season on the expiration of his contract and his excellent relationship with Jurgen Klopp is very well known.
The pair still talk all the time, despite Gotze preferring to stay in Germany than switch to Anfield in 2016 when we pursued him.
Gotze can play anywhere along the frontline, and while he wouldn’t be arriving as a starter – he no longer possesses the pace and dynamism of Sadio Mane or Mo Salah – his technical skills and vision would make him a handy squad player in the place of Shaq.
Many will scoff at this news, as we did first when we heard it – but Klopp still considers Gotze the best player he’s ever managed. Providing the player accepts a relatively low wage (he was being paid very well in Germay) and believes Klopp (the only manager to ever get the best out of him consistently) is who he wants to work under – this potential switch could tick a lot of boxes.
We’d still need a younger, faster forward as well – Gotze would simply be a replacement for Shaqiri.