The Everton fans in the Transfer Tavern are hoping their club will make plenty of quality additions to the squad this summer.
The arrival of Marco Silva is widely expected to usher in a new era for Everton in which aesthetically pleasing football will be showcased on a regular basis. In order for the Portuguese manager to achieve that aim, he will need to bring technically gifted players to the club who possess the ability to instigate a significant improvement in Everton’s fortunes.
One player who fits the aforementioned description is Stoke City’s Xherdan Shaqiri, but recent reports suggest that Everton could face competition for his signature from Liverpool. According to the Daily Star, Jurgen Klopp is a fan of Shaqiri due to his versatility to operate in a handful of attacking roles, but the presence of Salah and Mane should deter the 20-goal Switzerland international from moving to Anfield.
Between the two Merseyside clubs, Everton is the perfect destination for Shaqiri as he would enjoy plenty of exposure to the first-team. With only Theo Walcott to chose from on the right-wing, Silva will be looking to bolster his options in that position this summer, and in the current climate Shaqiri undoubtedly represents the best value for money signing on the market.
With a relegation release clause reportedly written into his contract which would allow him to leave the Bet365 Stadium for a fee in the region of £12-13.5 million this summer, Silva should be chomping at the bit to conclude a deal as soon as possible. With the World Cup just 1 week away from kicking off and Shaqiri set to take part for his national side, interest is bound to intensify if he impresses in Russia, so the Everton hierarchy cannot afford to waste any time over this deal.
At Goodison Park Shaqiri would have no problem breaking into the first-team under Silva, and with his level of quality he would have the opportunity to establish himself as an integral player and a genuine fan-favourite. However, at Liverpool it’s unlikely he would become anything more than just a squad player, especially whilst Mo Salah resides at the club, so if he is handed the choice between the two clubs this summer he should opt for a move to the blue half of Merseyside.
Everton fans – thoughts? Let us know below!
