Liverpool and Everton are reportedly interested in the same player.
Everton and Liverpool are two of several Premier League clubs who are reportedly interested in Xherdan Shaqiri.
The Mirror claims that Liverpool are favourites for the Stoke City winger, whose relegation to the Championship last season means that he is available for a bargain £13 million.
However, The Liverpool Echo have reported that Everton are also interested in the 26-year-old, who revealed this week his intention to stay in England’s top flight.
But are the Reds about to strengthen their Merseyside rivals’ chances of signing the Switzerland international by bowing out of the race to sign him?
According to a report from Italian publication Calcio Insider, Liverpool are also interested in Bayer Leverkusen attacker Julian Brandt.
Given that Brandt is a similar mould to Shaqiri, it seems illogical that manager Jurgen Klopp will sign both and therefore Everton might have one less team to fend off if the Anfield side are no longer keen.
Of course, there are a number of other Premier League teams said to be keen on Shaqiri – not to mention Manchester United, according to The Mirror – but if the Reds are focusing on Brandt instead then that does help the Toffees’ cause to some extent.
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