Liverpool trigger international winger’s buy-out clause, medical after the World Cup

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Liverpool have reportedly triggered the £12.5million release clause of Stoke City winger Xherdan Shaqiri in a deal that could be completed after the World Cup.

The Liverpool Echo have reported of a Stoke-based radio station tweeting the story, which claims the Switzerland international will sign a long-term contract with the Reds and undergo a medical after this summer’s tournament in Russia.

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Shaqiri has just suffered relegation with Stoke and is surely too good a player to be playing his football in the Championship next season.

The 26-year-old could make a fine fit at Liverpool given his style of play, and with Jurgen Klopp in need of someone like him to provide more cover for his first choice attackers.

For all the qualities of of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino, LFC don’t have much in the way of depth behind those three.

Shaqiri would provide exactly that and is not exactly the kind of player who’d justifiably be able to make too much of a fuss about not starting week in, week out.

Once regarded as one of the brightest prospects in Europe, Shaqiri flopped at Bayern Munich before finding his way to England and being a squad player at Liverpool seems about his level right now.

If he is available for so cheap it looks superb potential business by Liverpool as well.

UPDATE: The Liverpool Echo have since updated their live blog debunking this story, stating that while the Reds are interested in Shaqiri, they are yet to actually meet his release clause.

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