The Swiss international winger made an immediate impression on the new Stoke manager.
Stoke City manager Paul Lambert has described Xherdan Shaqiri as “different class” and revealed that some of his training ground exploits leave him mesmerised.
The Swiss international winger was one of the stars of the show as Stoke made a winning start to Lambert’s reign with a 2-0 victory over Huddersfield Town last weekend.
His acrobatic volley was disallowed for offside, and Lambert’s insight suggests that the former Bayern Munich player regularly pulls off the spectacular on the practice pitch.
“It’s good when you see guys performing,” The Stoke Sentinel quotes the Scotsman as saying. “I look at Shaqiri in training and think ‘dear, oh dear, he’s different class.’
“Proper player, him. He looks really on top of his game at the minute him, he looks one hell of a player.”
Shaqiri has always been incredibly gifted, but the application has not always been there and this could have been thrown at him towards the end of the Mark Hughes regime.
However, judging by Lambert’s comments, the 26-year-old is in the mood to be a match-winner for Stoke in upcoming games, and add to his four goals and six assists for the season.
The Potters host Watford on Wednesday evening before matches against Bournemouth and Brighton & Hove Albion, so Shaqiri has a good opportunity to continue his upturn in form.
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