Xherdan Shaqiri
According to reports, Xherdan Shaqiri has put Premier League clubs on alert after admitting his preference to stay in England when he leaves Stoke City this summer.
The Switzerland international hit 8 goals last term but was unable to stop Stoke from dropping down to the Championship. However, Shaqiri has no plans to stay in the Championship and help Stoke secure promotion. Instead, he has already issued a ‘come and get me’ plea to the Premier League clubs.
Now that he has admitted he would love to stay in England, here are three ideal Premier League destinations for the 26-year-old, who has a release clause of £13.5m.
After a disappointing campaign under Sam Allardyce, Everton have turned to Marco Silva to help them achieve their targets next season.
Silva is known for his attractive and expansive brand of football which is surely going to be a treat for the Everton fans. But he definitely needs fresh faces to bolster the current squad with Everton’s attack proving to be toothless on a number of occasions last season.
Shaqiri could be a wonderful signing for Everton. The stocky Swiss would bring a lot of pace, guile and creativity, which would make the Toffees’ attack more potent. In Shaqiri, Silva would get a player blessed with quick-feet and top dribbling abilities.
The 26-year-old’s pace and unpredictability would make him a fine addition to an Everton side lacking a cutting edge in the final third.
Almost a similar story to that of Everton, West Ham have sacked David Moyes after a poor season, replacing him with former Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini.
Pellegrini, who boasts a wealth of experience and pedigree, needs fresh players to turn around West Ham’s fortunes next season and a player of Shaqiri’s calibre would help the Hammers massively in the attacking third.
With great vision, passing, technique and a powerful shot on him, the Swiss attacker could be ideal for Pellegrini. Also, moving to West Ham could be an attractive option for the 26-year-old as it will allow him the opportunity to reunite with Marko Arnautovic with whom he formed a potent partnership at Stoke.
It can’t be denied that, on his day, Xherdan Shaqiri is a fantastic footballer. He is capable of producing brilliant moments that can change the game in one blink of an eye.
A proven Premier League material with elusive qualities, Shaqiri could be a massive signing for Crystal Palace. If Roy Hodgson continues to utilise Wilfried Zaha and Andros Townsend as central strikers next season, the former Bayern Munich man could offer them width and plenty of directness from the flanks. His undeniable quality would certainly help the Eagles improve next term.
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