Liverpool playmaker Xherdan Shaqiri is likely to stay with the club beyond the current 2019/20 season despite speculation linking him with an Anfield exit, according to journalist Paul Gorst.
The Reds reporter revealed the news in a Liverpool Echo Q & A [27/08; 12:30], claiming that the Switzerland international will likely stay beyond this campaign due to a lack of alternatives behind the team’s front three.
The 27-year-old, who is on a reported £80,000-per-week at the club [Source: Spotrac], was linked with a potential sale earlier this summer: Goal claimed that a good offer would see manager Jurgen Klopp part ways with his summer 2018 signing.
However, for now, Gorst claims that the former Stoke City man will have to make his mark in cup competitions this term.
OPINION
It’s bizarre that Shaqiri has seemingly fallen so far down the pecking order at Anfield. He is yet to make it off the substitutes bench in the Premier League or UEFA Super Cup this time round, with just 11 minutes of action against Manchester City in the Community Shield under his belt so far this campaign. That’s despite him looking like a tremendous signing in the early part of his Liverpool career last season. However, he seemed to fall out of favour with Klopp over the second half of last term, and that appears to have bled into the new campaign, as well. Despite that, Gorst believes he will stick around even beyond the current season, albeit the reason for that is due to a lack of alternatives rather than Klopp having faith in the player. Shaqiri is a talent, but he doesn’t have an obvious role in Klopp’s 4-3-3 system. He is neither a true attacker nor a standard central midfielder. As such, he is likely going to be kept on the periphery in cup competitions this term.
