It was a season of many ups and downs for the red half of Merseyside. Liverpool were unable to achieve a fairytale end to their season, as they lost 3-1 to Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League final in Kiev. Once again Jurgen Klopp’s side collapsed in a final, paving the way for Los Blancos to lift their third consecutive Champions League title under Zinedine Zidane.
The defeat in Kiev wasn’t a true reflection of Liverpool’s season at all. It was just a bad day as Loris Karius made two howlers to gift two goals to Real Madrid. In a season where Liverpool’s attacking trio of Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Mohammed Salah were wreaking havoc both domestically and in Europe, there weren’t many that could stop them at their best.
Egyptian winger Mohamed Salah scored a jaw-dropping 43 goals in all competitions, scooping up the award for the PFA Player Of The Year. He also broke the record for the most number of goals scored in a 38 game Premier League season, with the former Roma man scoring 32 times in the league.
With the arrivals of Naby Keita and Fabinho in the summer, Klopp has already begun preparations for the upcoming season. He will be looking to add some more depth to his team, a key element which is missing in the squad. Stoke City’s Xherdan Shaqiri has been linked with a move to Anfield.
Klopp fell short of options when Salah succumbed to a shoulder injury in the Champions League final. As a result, the arrival of Shaqiri could certainly boost his options in the attacking department.
Shaqiri’s £12m release-clause at Stoke City is a bargain in today’s inflated market; the Potters’ inability to retain their position in the Premier League activated the clause.
If needed, Shaqiri could be rotated with Salah and Mane, so that the mercurial duo remain fresh throughout the campaign. The Swiss attacker scored 8 goals and provided 7 assists in 36 league appearances, and yet his efforts were not enough to save Stoke from avoiding the drop down to the Championship.
He would certainly be a good squad player and a great option to bring off the bench. Shaqiri was influential in Stoke’s goals, playing major roles in the build-up.
He also possesses the quality to score from free-kicks and is a set-piece specialist. Since the departure of Phillipe Coutinho to Barcelona in January, Liverpool haven’t really found a dead ball specialist. Shaqiri could be the solution to that problem. One thing is clear – Liverpool need to add some depth to their squad if they are to challenge on all fronts next season.
