Liverpool are still interested in Stoke City forward Xherdan Shaqiri, although they have yet to make an official approach for the player, according to the Liverpool Echo.
Since the Potters were relegated to the Championship at the end of last season, the 26-year old Switzerland international has been linked with a return to the Premier League.
While Everton are Southampton were heavily linked initially, Liverpool are believed to be firmly in the driving seat and have been for some time.
Thanks to a relegation release clause in his contract, Shaqiri could leave Stoke for the Reds for just £13.5million, however Jurgen Klopp has yet to give the green light on making a move for the ‘Alpine Messi’.
This is in part due to Shaqiri’s World Cup involvement, with his future talks having been shelved while Switzerland were competing, but with Sweden having knocked them out on Tuesday, the former Bayern Munich man should be available for negotiations.
All that is left is for the Reds to decide whether they do want to pursue a deal and firm up their interest, or move on to other alternative targets.
Shaqiri is now on his holiday and will take his time to make a decision, but did admit he favours a move to the English top-flight. Shaqiri, according to the Echo, had this to say:
At the moment, I can’t say anything. You are going to hear soon on my future.
I was not thinking about this because I was just focused on my national team and wanted to make a good tournament for my team and my nation. It’s pretty normal to be aware of clubs being interested.
I don’t know, it’s not dependant on me sometimes. Of course, I would like to play on the biggest stage in football. Everybody knows that.
I hope I can stay in the Premier League. I hope so, you never know with football. I don’t rule out anything.
Shaqiri would leave the bet365 Stadium after three years with the club, having joined from Inter Milan in the summer of 2015.
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