If there’s one name that doesn’t start with a Marco and end with a Reus that’s been consistently linked with a move to Liverpool, it’s Bayern Munich winger Xherdan Shaqiri. Everyone knows that the media loves to hype a story, but his ongoing saga is often perpetuated by the player himself.
A lack of first team action continues to fuel rumours that he wants to leave, and until he either signs a new contract or picks up and moves, the mill will keep turning them out — not that he does anything to discourage that. “I was looking for more first team action this season, everyone knows that,” the 23-year old recently told Swiss media outlet Neuee Zuricher Zeitung. “We had a sit down and discussed things with Bayern Munich. I received a clear message: I have to stay. I accepted that. We will have a look at things again in the winter. We will have to figure things out. I have a long-term deal at Bayern Munich, so it is the club that will decide.”
Reds boss Brendan Rodgers is a known admirer of Shaqiri’s talents and rumour has it that the Northern Irishman has tried to bring him, both on loan and permanently, to Merseyside on a number of occasions. Things reached a fever pitch over the summer with the Swiss maestro seemingly on the verge of a move to Anfield with a number of papers reporting that the two sides were not only in talks, but had agreed to a fee, only to have the move fall apart.
While it all sounded a bit suspicious in the end, the 23-year old has since confirmed that Liverpool did make an approach for his services. “If the club does not want to sell me or let me go, then that is positive news for me. Liverpool made a bid for me before the World Cup but Bayern put their foot down and told me: ‘We are not going to sell you,” he explained. “My contract runs until 2016 and I could possibly extend it. I will consider my decision during the winter break.”
