Liverpool winger Xherdan Shaqiri has insisted he chose to stay at the club this summer as a move away never materialised for the Switzerland international.
Despite looking a decent squad player in his first year at Liverpool, Shaqiri played less often in his second season and it would not have been surprising to see him move on.
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According to the Daily Mail, a move to the Bundesliga or Serie A looked on the cards for Shaqiri, but he is now quoted in the report as saying he chose to remain at Anfield and that he wants to fight for his place.
“Sure, in football there is always speculation and the players think about their situations. That is completely normal,” Shaqiri is quoted by the Mail.
“And of course, I have also thought about it, that is completely normal. But in the end I decided to stay there. The transfer window is now closed.
“Now I will go back to training with the team after these international matches and try to continue to perform well, which I have already proven a few times, also at Liverpool. And that is my goal.”
This sounds like a pretty clear message of commitment from Shaqiri, and Reds fans may be glad that he’s showing this attitude despite a lack of opportunities from manager Jurgen Klopp.
The 29-year-old should still have something to offer the club after a decent career, even if he’s never quite lived up to the potential he showed when he was a youngster.