Hertha Berlin are big fans of Xherdan Shaqiri but the Liverpool man will not be joining the Bundesliga club this summer, director Fredi Bobic told Sky Deutschland.
It is hard to imagine a more typical Hertha signing than the seldom-seen Swiss international.
Since being taken over by ambitious businessman Lars Windhorst in 2019 – the biggest investment deal in the history of German football – the capital city club have made a habit from signing big-name players on something of a low ebb, from Matteo Guendouzi to Krysztof Piatek and Sami Khedira.
And Liverpool certainly would not stand in Shaqiri’s way should Hertha make a move for the £12 million-rated winger between now and the end of August.
Bobic, however, has all-but ruled out the chances of a one-time Bayern Munich, Inter Milan and, erm, Stoke City forward kick-starting his ailing career at the Olimpiastadion.
“He’s a great player, I really like him,” said Bobic, a highly-rated sporting director who arrived at Hertha on the back of a superb spell at Eintracht Frankfurt.
“But he’s not a topic for us.”
Where next for Liverpool’s Xherdan Shaqiri?
29-year-old Shaqiri has started just seven Premier League games in the last two seasons and could fall even further down the pecking order following the return of Harvey Elliott from a mesmerising loan spell at Blackburn Rovers in the Championship.
According to the Athletic, Shaqiri could return to Serie A with Napoli and Lazio expressing an interest.
The two-time Champions League winner did admit, earlier this month, that he would be keen on a move to Lazio, the prospect of working under Mauzirio Sarri an intriguing one.
“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,” Shaqiri 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 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 (manager Maurizio) Sarri practices it. It would be intriguing.”
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