Personal terms already agreed – Fee agreement next, then a medical, then official announcement – Edwards hard at work

Liverpool are working hard to expedite Xherdan Shaqiri’s sale and Anfield Central has learned that it’s to make room for a new attacker.

The transfer window is rapidly drawing to a close and while it seemed like Liverpool would limp out of the market, they’re hard at work to bring their squad together.

Gianluca Di Marzio broke the news on Wednesday evening that Shaqiri is ‘very close’ to joining Lyon while L’Equipe reports he will earn £350,000/month.

With personal terms already agreed, the two clubs are in negotiations to agree on a fee and once that’s done, a medical will take place. Should that be passed, both clubs will work together to synchronise their official announcements with Lyon to take the lead.

Anfield Central reported on the 5th of July that after receiving ‘several offers‘ for Shaqiri, the Reds were holding out for £15million.

However, since then, Lazio, Sevilla and Villarreal have failed to show the same promise in their interest and the only remaining bid on the table is a €6m (£5.1m) bid from Lyon.

Liverpool have revised their expectations and are hoping that Lyon will match their new €8m (£6.8m) valuation of Shaqiri.

The reason that sporting director Michael Edwards, who has historically been able to extract massive fees for much less talented players with virtually no experience, is having so much trouble in talks for Shaqiri is threefold.

Firstly, the Swiss attacker’s comments about wanting a move to Lazio ruined Liverpool’s ability to negotiate as it was clear they could not force him to stay as they could with other players.

Secondly, with Lazio and co. not maintaining their interest and upping the ante, Liverpool are risking their summer plans by rejecting Lyon’s lowball bid.

Thirdly, he is in a rush to sell Shaqiri as the Premier League season starts on Saturday evening and the summer transfer window closes in less than three weeks.

While Anfield Central has been told by a recruitment source that the club is indeed working on completing at least one new signing, they were unable to tell us who.

Liverpool have been linked with Jeremy Doku over last couple of days but a move for the teenager would cost €50million and the last reliable news we heard was that the Reds weren’t planning on making a move until next summer.

That may have moved up to this summer but signing him would not depend on signing Xherdan Shaqiri in the same way signing the likes of Renato Sanches or Saul Niguez would.

The Belgian speed merchant is just 19 years old and therefore the Premier League’s regulations on non-homegrown don’t apply.

Sky Sports Football cleared up what has been quite a confusing topic in 2020.

They wrote: “‘Homegrown’ suggests the player must be English – but in fact, it is a player of any nationality that has spent at least three seasons training at a professional English or Welsh club before the age of 21.”