Anfield side look to snap up promising youngster as part of deal to sell Uruguayan.
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Liverpool are ready to use want-away striker Luis Suarez as bait in their pursuit of Bayern Munich starlet Xherdan Shaqiri.
CaughtOffside understands that Brendan Rodgers has set his sights on impressive young Swiss international Shaqiri and has been given encouragement from the club’s Bavarian employers that he could be allowed to leave the Allianz Arena, but only for the right price.
Liverpool may have publicly stated that they have no intention of selling Uruguayan ace Suarez the are privately preparing the ground for a sale of the 26 year old but on their terms. The have been angered by the former Ajax striker’s stance on his future at the Merseyside club and do not feel there is any way back for the forward following his repeated statements regarding his desire to leave Anfield.
New Bayern Munich boss Pep Guardiola is known to be a fan of the Liverpool marksman and having allowed Mario Gomez to join Napoli the Spanish manager is very keen on bringing in a strong striking addition and the Premier League side are willing to enter negotiations about a possible player plus cash deal.
Liverpool value Suarez at over £40m and will accept a fee of around £25m plus young attacker Shaqiri for their top-scorer, an offer that Bayern Munich may well be amenable to.
Shaqiri made just 14 starts in all competitions for Bayern Munich last term and may find his chances all the more limited as Guardiola looks to bring in a raft of summer additions having already seen the likes of Mario Gotze, Jan Kirchhoff, Mitchell Weiser and Thiago Alcantara join the reigning Bundesliga and Champions League title holders.
The speedy wide-man could well feel that a fresh challenge of a move to Liverpool could help secure more regular first team football.
A move to bring in Shaqiri is very much in keeping with Liverpool’s youthful transfer policy and the club’s owners are keen to offset the cost of further summer additions from player sales, hence a player exchange deal being on they are actively considering.
Shaqiri is considered one of the hottest young properties in European football and the former FC Basel man already has over 160 club appearances to his name as well as 25 Swiss national team caps.