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Thorsten Fink raves about Liverpool’s Xherdan Shaqiri

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Xherdan Shaqiri’s former manager says he can be Liverpool’s best player.

Liverpool's Swiss midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri (R) scores their second goal past Fulham's Spanish goalkeeper Sergio Rico (L) during the English Premier League football match between...

Liverpool fans on Twitter praised Xherdan Shaqiri last night.

The Switzerland international dazzled on Sunday as Liverpool beat Fulham 2-0 at Anfield, with Shaqiri grabbing a brilliant second for Jurgen Klopp’s side.

It was also the 27-year-old’s second Premier League goal this season and, for £13 million, the former Stoke City misfit continues to look like something of a bargain by Jurgen Klopp.

In fact, ‘bargain’ might be an understatement if a prediction from Shaqiri’s former manager, Thorsten Fink, comes true.

Fink, who worked with the Reds star at Basel, claims that his old player is comparable to Lionel Messi as far as natural talent goes – and says that he has the potential to be Liverpool’s best player.

The 51-year-old told ESPN: “Cristiano Ronaldo, he worked for what he achieved. But Messi, he had it. He didn’t have to work for this talent. Ronaldo must work for this – work with this body, work with everything. For me, Messi has this talent. That’s also for Shaqiri.

“He has this talent to play. If he works very professionally, he can be the best player for Liverpool – not only a player. Every time the aim must to be better and make the next step. If you play for Liverpool not every week, it cannot be enough for him. His aim must be to play every week.”

Shaqiri’s talent has never been in question, but disappointing spells with Bayern Munich and Inter Milan ultimately led him to Stoke City in 2015, where he managed 15 goals in 84 Premier League appearances.

Liverpool boss Klopp is a wonderful man-manager, and if he can get the best out of Shaqiri on a consistent basis then who knows? He might become a prominent name mentioned among the Mo Salahs and Virgil van Dijks when asked who the club’s best player is.

Xherdan Shaqiri of Liverpool during the International Club Friendly match between Liverpool FC and SSC Napoli at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland on August 4, 2018