Xherdan Shaqiri could become Liverpool’s next ‘Balotelli’, says Phil Thompson

Liverpool need to be wary Xherdan Shaqiri does not become another Mario Balotelli, according to Phil Thompson.

Shaqiri joined the Reds this summer from relegated Stoke City for a fee worth £13m and had impressed during his time on the pitch in pre-season.

The Swiss is expected to provide back-up for the likes of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino this season as Liverpool push to win their first trophy since 2012.

But former Liverpool captain Thompson is worried Shaqiri could end up following in the footsteps of another risky signing in Balotelli.

“He’s a player, as we know, who is maybe not a workaholic at the moment like Klopp would like,” he told Sky Sports’ Soccer Saturday (via Goal).

“But my goodness he’s got an assist, he’s got a goal, set plays.

“So that’s the great thing Jurgen has done with the transfer market. He has identified the areas which he needs to improve his squad and gone for it.

“Shaqiri, yeah maybe a few problems about him, but he’s got this in his locker. Set plays, corner kicks, he delivers into dangerous areas.

“He’s going to a club now which in all intents and purposes is a bigger club than what Stoke is. I think the expectations and the demands on him will be as it should be.”

Thompson continued: “At £13m it is a snip and I hope upon hope that this goes right for the boy.

“It could be a Balotelli move, then again it could be a Mane move and that is the thing. He’s got to learn and that is the only thing, this high-pressure game that Jurgen demands from everybody.

“Everybody has to fit in and Shaqiri has to bring that to the table.”

Balotelli joined Liverpool from AC Milan in 2014 but only spent a season at the club before being loaned back to the Rossoneri. In that time, the Italian scored four goals in 28 appearances while also picking up seven yellow cards.

Shaqiri’s spell at Stoke

Signing for Stoke in 2015 from Inter Milan, Shaqiri made 92 appearances for the Potters across all competitions during his three seasons.

In that time, the Swiss international scored 15 goals and recorded another 15 assists often powerless to change Stoke’s fortune as they were relegated last season.

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