Xherdan Shaqiri can be a huge player for Liverpool this season, pushing on after an up-and-down first year at Anfield.
Jurgen Klopp is “convinced” the Swiss will be a key figure, according to The Athletic‘s James Pearce.
The manager’s faith in Shaqiri is thought to be a key reason behind not signing a new attacking midfielder in the summer transfer window.
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The 27-year-old’s drop-off last season has actually masked how influential he was earlier in the campaign.
When Klopp was adopting a 4-2-3-1 formation, Shaqiri was an important member of the team, most notably scoring a double at home to Manchester United.
A change to Klopp’s preferred 4-3-3 system quickly saw the winger pushed out and he started just four times after the turn of the year.
Shaqiri remains an enormously gifted player, however, and there is no reason why he can’t go up a gear in 2019/20.
He won’t start regularly, such is the quality of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino, but if he can be an influential substitute and aid Klopp’s rotation policy, the manager’s faith in him will be justified.
Shaqiri really could feel like a new signing if he excels, to use an old cliche.
