Xherdan Shaqiri has found the going tough at Liverpool, struggling for game time, and the Swiss international is about to become another of Liverpool's fringe players who will leave the club.
Shaqiri has reached an agreement with Lyon to join the French club this summer.
The French club have also reacted to the Shaqiri transfer news by confirming it. They say they have indeed reached an agreement in principle to take the midfielder away from Liverpool.
All summer, doubts had enveloped his future at Liverpool. In his three years on Merseyside, Shaqiri was unable to break into the line-up, and last summer, he was linked with a move away which has not been different from this summer.
Shaqiri's struggles at Anfield
In 2018, Liverpool priced the midfielder away from Stoke City for a fee of around £13m, but with an attacking trident of Mohammed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino at the helm, the Swiss found game time hard to come by.
The 2019/20 season saw him confined to the bench for most of the season as he made just seven league appearances.
The player, however, spurned many opportunities to leave Anfield last season, but it seems he has reached the end of his tether.
With Liverpool looking to lighten the load at the club, Shaqiri looks set to become the latest of the fringe players to leave the club.
The deal that takes the Swiss to Lyon
After a brilliant summer where he continued to cement his place at international tournaments during Euro 2020, the Swiss want more playing time. At 29, there is still plenty left in the tank.
The midfielder had just 12 months left on his contract, and Liverpool were keen to recoup some of the outlay they made on him after the Covid-19 induced financial struggles.
Reports suggest that an initial offer of around £4m was rejected by Liverpool, and Lyon increased their offer to what the Anfield giants believe is appropriate.
As per an official statement, Shaqiri is understood to have agreed terms with the French club, and Lyon confirms he is due for a medical on Monday morning. Shaqiri is said to have requested the move away from Liverpool.
Liverpool's summer clearout
Liverpool had already lost Georgino Wijnaldum to Ligue 1 giants Paris St Germain as a free agent. Shaqiri is about to join his former Liverpool teammate in the French top flight.
He will be joining a few other players that Liverpool has let go of this summer. The club has already sold Harry Wilson and Taiwo Awoniyi. Gone on loan are Marko Grujic and Ben Davies, who have been shipped to FC Porto and Sheffield United, respectively.
By :
Steven D. Thompson
