£86,000/week Liverpool star has "put a little bit of pressure on the owners" after clever transfer tactic

Xherdan Shaqiri has put pressure on FSG to sell him this summer after he namedropped Lazio to the Italian press, says Jose Enrique.

He told EOTK: “With Xherdan Shaqiri coming out and saying he wants a new challenge, and name-dropping Lazio to Italian journalists, it likely means the club have already been in touch for him.

“And what he’s now done is put a little bit of pressure on the owners. If the money isn’t right, maybe Liverpool aren’t happy with what another club has offered, the best thing a player can do is to apply pressure.

“I believe Shaqiri is a great player, he performed really well at Euro 2020, but the problem he has is that he’s injury-prone.

“The style of football Liverpool play is very intense, high pressure, and it doesn’t really suit him – he can’t handle playing four or five games in a row.

“But he could obviously be a better fit in another team that that maybe doesn’t press as much, a team that has more of the ball.

“Italy is the perfect place for Shaqiri, it’s more tactical over there, and he could be a very, very good player for Lazio, if that’s actually where he goes this summer.”

The former Stoke City forward is crucial to Liverpool this summer as his non-homegrown slot in the squad is hindering their transfer plans.

It seems most likely that he will leave the club before the summer comes to a close and while he no longer offers the Reds the threat he used to, supporters will always have a soft spot for him.

Shaqiri played a pivotal role in one of Anfield's most memorable nights as Liverpool beat Barcelona 4-0 to win the Champions League semi-final second leg and progress to the final.

His assist for Georginio Wijnaldum's second goal of the game was a beauty and is hardly mentioned but it will go down as one of the most incredible moments at Anfield.