Southampton are reportedly hoping to beat Tottenham Hotspur to the signing of Stoke City’s Xherdan Shaqiri.
According to The Mirror, Southampton will press ahead with their attempts to sign Stoke City’s Xherdan Shaqiri ahead of Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur.
Shaqiri, 26, was highly regarded with Basel, Bayern Munich and Inter Milan before heading for a shock move to Stoke in 2015, but seven goals in his first two seasons meant the Swiss international was treading water at the bet365 Stadium.
However, this past season has seen Shaqiri at his best, as he as a superb creator for the Potters, hitting eight goals and seven assists in 36 Premier League games for a relegated Stoke side.
There is virtually no chance that Shaqiri will be playing in the Championship next season, and The Mirror report that Southampton want to activate a £12million release clause in Shaqiri’s contract this summer.
Southampton are managed by ex-Stoke boss Mark Hughes, who brought Shaqiri to England three years ago, with a reunion on the South Coast now being targeted.
The report does though note that Tottenham are also interested in signing Shaqiri, meaning Southampton are pressing ahead with their pursuit of the winger, and could activate that clause in an attempt to pip Spurs.
Shaqiri may well fancy a reunion with Hughes, but Tottenham being able to offer Champions League football may well be at the back of his mind if both teams really are keen.
Southampton struggled for goals and creativity last season, so adding Shaqiri could aid their attacking efforts, but whether they can get a deal over the line remains to be seen.
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