This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…
Xherdan Shaqiri is preparing to leave Liverpool at the end of the season due to a lack of game time, according to Football Insider.
What’s the story?
The Switzerland international, who is rated at £22.5m on Transfermakrt, has reportedly told those close to him that he wants to leave Anfield during the summer.
This comes with the 28-year-old having played just 14 minutes of football for Liverpool this season, with those coming across three substitute appearances, the longest of which was just six minutes.
The former Stoke City man is said to recognise that he will not be breaking into the starting lineup in his preferred position on the wing, due to Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah standing in his way.
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A challenge for Jurgen Klopp
This indicates how big a challenge Klopp will be facing in attempting to sign and retain high-level back-up wingers to offer cover for the two main men.
With Shaqiri being 28-years-old, the time he is supposed to be in his prime, it is understandable that he doesn’t particularly want to spend his matchdays sitting on the bench.
However, across the Champions League and Premier League, Salah already has 14 goal contributions, while Mane has 11, so the pair are virtually undroppable, meaning the only way a back-up can get substantial game time is through injury.
If Shaqiri does leave, Liverpool may struggle to find someone of a high level who can come in as his replacement, because they will end up facing exactly the same predicament.
Does Shaqiri deserve to start over Mane and Salah? Evidently not. But this is a player who grabbed eight Premier League goals and seven assists for a relegated Stoke during his final season with the Potters.
If someone with that output can’t at least force his way in occasionally, there will be a very small calibre of player who can.
