Liverpool midfielder confirms departure hopes

 

Xherdan Shaqiri has confirmed he wants to leave Liverpool this summer and has heaped praise on Lazio amid interest from the Serie A side.

 

Shaqiri has spent the last three years at Liverpool but has failed to get a regular run of games since joining from Stoke in 2018.

 

The 29-year-old has entered the final two years of his current Liverpool deal and Jurgen Klopp's side are looking to cash in.

 

Liverpool have raised more than £30m from player sales this summer and hope to offload the likes of Shaqiri and Divock Origi before strengthening.

 

Shaqiri, who performed superbly for Switzerland at Euro 2020, has been heavily linked with a move to Lazio already this summer and has hinted at a possible move to the Serie A side.

 

"The important thing at this moment in my career is to be able to play regularly, but that hasn't always been the case in the last three seasons," he told Corriere dello Sport.

 

"This is why I told Liverpool that I feel ready for a new challenge. They accepted my wish and will seriously consider the offers that will come. They will not stop me.

 

"I think it's not just my opinion that football in Italy has developed substantially in recent years. The win at the European Championship is there to prove it, a well-deserved result.

 

"Igli Tare (Lazio sporting director) has been doing an excellent job at Lazio for years. If it's true that he has great respect for me, then I'm honoured.

 

"I have been following Lazio for a long time, they are a top team. In general, due to my characteristics, I like to play more attacking football and (Maurizio) Sarri practicses it. It would be intriguing."

 

Liverpool midfielder confirms departure hopes

 

 

Shaqriri has only started 18 league matches across three seasons for Liverpool and made just 45 Premier League appearances in total during that time.

 

However, of players that made at least 10 Premier League appearances last season, only two registered more key passes per 90 than Shaqiri (3.1).