XHERDAN SHAQIRI has been handed a lifeline at Liverpool after being named in their Champions League squad despite transfer speculation.
The Reds midfielder, 28, had looked almost certain to leave the club this summer – but no deal ever came to fruition.
Xherdan Shaqiri has been named in Liverpool’s Champions League squadCredit: Reuters
Shaqiri has played just once this season, scoring a sublime free-kick in the 7-2 Carabao Cup win over Lincoln.
Having failed to secure a move away, the £13.5million signing from Stoke in 2018 was expected to sit out the big matches until January.
And now it appears Shaqiri could be in Jurgen Klopp’s plans after all, after being named in the 25-man Champions League group.
Shaqiri will now likely feature in the some of the six group stage games, with Klopp keen to rotate his squad to keep players fresh.
The Swiss star’s opportunities have been somewhat limited due to the arrivals of Takumi Minamino and Diogo Jota in recent windows.
But Shaqiri has joined the pair in the squad for the Champions League group stage.
On Tuesday, Shaqiri became the third Liverpool star to test positive for coronavirus in just a week.
The Reds had already been rocked by the news Thiago Alcantara and Sadio Mane had contracted the virus.
And earlier this week, a statement from the Swiss FA read: “Xherdan Shaqiri has tested positive for Covid-19.
“In consultation with the health authorities, he is in isolation.”
In other European squad news, Arsenal have cut Mesut Ozil from their 25-man Europa League group.
Danny Rose is set to be left out of Tottenham’s with his future on the brink.
And Manchester United have ditched Sergio Romero, Phil Jones and Marcos Rojo from their Champions League squad.
Klopp hints at Shaqiri transfer exit with cryptic reply about snub vs Arsenal as ‘two clubs ask about Liverpool outcast’
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
