Xherdan Shaqiri continues to ride the bench at Liverpool, but he could have a meaningful impact at Newcastle United.
When Stoke City were relegated at the end of the 2017-18 campaign, I was hoping Newcastle United would pay the £12m release clause to secure the services of Xherdan Shaqiri, but instead he went to Liverpool for that bargain price. Well, two seasons later, it’s quite obvious that Jurgen Klopp has no intentions of giving the Swiss international a chance to break into the starting lineup.
In other words, Shaqiri just sitting on the bench at Anfield is a perfect example of wasting talent. The “Messi of the Alps” has only made two Premier League appearances this season and he must be weighing his options for the January transfer window.
Newcastle United purchased Miguel Almiron for £21m in January, but that signing is unfortunately turning out to be a flop. Almiron has failed to serve the club as a true playmaker, has failed to score a goal and is yet to complete an assist in 18 Premier League appearances.
Fans are actually calling for Christian Atsu to start in his place on the wing opposite of Allan Saint-Maximin. With Almiron struggling to perform at an elite level on Tyneside and with Shaqiri struggling to get on the pitch for Liverpool, it only makes sense for the Toon to pursue a deal for the Swiss midfielder.
Loan with Option to Buy
In my opinion, the best deal for both sides would be a loan deal with an option to buy next summer for a few reasons. Firstly, Liverpool would look to make a significant profit off a player they purchased for £12m if Newcastle United were to pursue a direct transfer deal. If the Magpies negotiated a loan deal with an option to buy they would be paying Shaqiri’s £80,000 weekly salary, but the permanent purchase price would be much more reasonable as a result.
The second reason why this deal would benefit both clubs is because it would provide Shaqiri with ample playing time to prove his worth. Shaqiri is a top talent who has influenced innumerable matches for Switzerland, but his consistency at the club level has been questioned at times.
A loan move would certainly motivate Shaqiri to give it his all as he knows he would be auditioning for a more important role and regular minutes in the Premier League. If Shaqiri lives up to his potential then there is no doubt in my mind that the duo of Shaqiri and Saint-Maximin out wide would help the Magpies comfortably avoid relegation.
For Jurgen Klopp, letting Shaqiri go on loan would be a wise decision. Ignoring Shaqiri and placing a ceiling on his playing time in the Premier League will only create more internal drama at Liverpool. Klopp believes that Liverpool can manage without Shaqiri, so letting him go on loan to a Premier League club that won’t threaten his team’s chances of winning the league title doesn’t seem like a big risk to take.