Xherdan Shaqiri Rejects Switzerland Call-Up to Focus on Bettering Liverpool Chances

​Liverpool winger Xherdan Shaqiri has rejected a call-up to the Swiss national team in order to focus his efforts on his club.

There had been plenty of speculation about Shaqiri's future this summer after he struggled for consistent game time in his debut season with Liverpool, and those rumours have remained after he failed to appear in any of the Reds' first three Premier League games.

Despite his lack of minutes with ​Liverpool, Shaqiri has remained a key player for Switzerland. They are set to take on Ireland and Gibraltar in Euro 2020 qualifiers in September, but the Swiss FA confirmed on ​Twitter that Shaqiri had rejected the chance to feature.

They added that Shaqiri had taken the decision in order to remain with Liverpool over the international break, to try and force his way into Jurgen Klopp's plans this season.

Earlier in the summer, Shaqiri ​confirmed that he had no intention of leaving Liverpool, who he claimed were 'the best club in Europe'. 

Klopp also has no plans to part ways with Shaqiri. The boss told a press conference (via the club's ​official website) that he expected the 27-year-old to play a huge role in the team after the international break.

"Shaq is training well, that's the situation. It's the first four weeks of the season, that's how it is. That's probably the hardest period for players who are not [playing]," Klopp added.

"In training, Shaq doesn’t have to improve in any way if he can keep the level he is doing at the moment. Of course he can improve like how everybody can improve, but it's not about that – he doesn't have to show anything special.

"We will need him, he knows that 100%. Is he the happiest player in the squad? I don't think so. Can I see that on the training pitch? No. He is in a good mood, training hard, doing what he has to do and is ready for the moment when he has to help the team on the pitch."

Source : 90min