Liverpool bid farewell as attacking star completes Ligue 1 switch
Liverpool have announced Xherdan Shaqiri has completed a permanent move to Lyon for a reported fee of £9.5million.
The Switzerland international, 29, who joined Liverpool from Stoke in 2018, scored eight goals in 63 appearances in all competitions under Jurgen Klopp. Shaqiri quickly endeared himself to Reds fans with a match-winning Kop-end brace as a substitute against Manchester United at Anfield.
Liverpool said on their official website: “The Switzerland international finalised a switch that will see him embark on a new chapter in his career with the Ligue 1 club.
“He departs the Reds with winner’s medals in the Premier League, Champions League, FIFA Club World Cup and UEFA Super Cup.”
Thank you for the boss memories, Shaq pic.twitter.com/xMisEjYyXJ
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) August 23, 2021
Shaqiri clocked up 22 appearances in his final season at Anfield. His last Reds goal was a trademark free-kick at Lincoln City in the Carabao Cup in September 2020.
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Meanwhile, Liverpool youngster Kaide Gordon is understood to have impressed Jurgen Klopp sufficiently enough to be rewarded with a senior debut which could come as early as next month.
Winger Gordon is only 16, but he is in line to follow Harvey Elliott’s path into the first team after featuring in the first-team squad in pre-season.
The right-sided attacker got a 30-minute run-out against FC Wacker Innsbruck and caught the eye against Mainz in pre-season.
He is a player Liverpool hold in high regard. That’s why they agreed to pay as much as £3m for him after he arrived from Derby in January.
Derby-born Gordon played in behind-closed-doors first-team game against Aston Villa earlier this month.
Gordon scored in the match after being given the green light to feature despite the U18s and U23s having fixtures.
And now The Athletic’s James Pearce has claimed on Twitter that he has been “pencilled in” for minutes in the FA Cup and League Cup this campaign.
The Reds will enter the League Cup at the third-round stage. That takes place from the week commencing September 20. The FA Cup third round is to be held on the weekend of January 8/9.
The League Cup is where Elliott made his debut for the Reds back in 2019. He starred in the 2-0 victory at MK Dons when he was 16 years, five months and 21 days old.
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