Xherdan Shaqiri completes transfer from Liverpool to Lyon

Xherdan Shaqiri has left Liverpool on a permanent transfer to join Lyon, signing a three-year contract with the Ligue 1 club to bring an end to his three-year spell at Anfield.

The transfer is worth an initial £5.14m to Liverpool, potentially rising to around £9.5m in total if various add-ons are triggered depending on Shaqiri’s achievements at Lyon.

Shaqiri joined Liverpool for £13.5m in 2018 following Stoke’s relegation from the Premier League. Despite having been star player for the Potters, he settled into a rotation role for the Reds and made 30 appearances in his debut season as the club won the Champions League.

Long-term calf trouble limited the Switzerland international to just 11 appearances in all competitions during the 2019/20 campaign, while tough competition for places ensured that he became surplus to requirements last season.

Shaqiri made his name at Basel in Switzerland and has also played in the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich and Serie A with Inter during his career to date.

The 29-year-old made 63 Liverpool appearances in total and scored eight goals.

He is the 11th player to leave the Reds this summer and the seventh on a permanent deal. Since losing Georginio Wijnaldum as a free agent, Liverpool have commanded transfer fees for Kamil Grabara, Liam Millar, Marko Grujic, Taiwo Awoniyi, Harry Wilson and now Shaqiri, all fringe players, bringing up to £42.5m into the club if all add-ons end up being triggered.

Liverpool’s only incoming signing so far is centre-back Ibrahima Konate, whose arrival was confirmed way back in May when the club triggered a £36m release clause in his RB Leipzig contract.

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