Xherdan Shaqiri has left Liverpool after three years with the club, joining French club Lyon in a deal that brings the Reds’ transfer intake over the £40 million mark.
Shaqiri was a valuable squad player throughout his time at Anfield, but bar a handful of brief runs in the side was unable to break into Jurgen Klopp‘s first-choice lineup.
The No. 23 made 63 appearances for Liverpool, scoring eight goals and laying on nine assists, including memorable moments against Man United, Everton and, crucially, Barcelona.
In the absence of Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino, Shaqiri was one of those to step up to the plate as the Reds made it to the Champions League final in 2019 at the expense of a humiliated Barcelona side.
But now he has followed the player he set up for a vital header in that 4-0 win, Gini Wijnaldum, out through the Shankly Gates.
Liverpool agreed a deal worth £9.5 million with Lyon on Sunday evening, with the midfielder then going on to undergo a medical the following day before his transfer was finalised.
Lyon report their payment as €6 million up front, with a further €5 million due in various add-ons.
He becomes the sixth player sold this summer, bringing in the third-highest fee, with the Reds now having raised £42.8 million from sales.
The 29-year-old is reported to have put pen to paper on a three-year deal with Peter Bosz’s side that makes him their highest earner, and he is expected to take up a key role at the Parc Olympique Lyonnais.
While he was never a star name on Merseyside, Shaqiri will be remembered as an important figure in a successful period under Klopp, leaving with four major honours to add to his collection.
It is claimed that Liverpool will not look to sign a replacement for the playmaker, with Harvey Elliott likely to take his minutes.
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