Liverpool

Xherdan Shaqiri to link up with Liverpool in United States

By Daniel Lewis, Senior Reporter | 14 July 2018

New Liverpool signing Xherdan Shaqiri is told by Jurgen Klopp to report to pre-season duty with his teammates in the United States following another week's holiday.

Jurgen Klopp has revealed that Xherdan Shaqiri will be part of Liverpool's squad for the United States leg of their pre-season campaign.

The Switzerland international was on Merseyside on Friday to finalise his £13m switch from Stoke City, putting pen to paper on what is described as a "long-term deal".

Shaqiri has been told to spend time relaxing following his World Cup exertions over the past month, which ended with defeat to Sweden in the last 16 on July 3, before linking up with his new teammates for the International Champions Cup in a week's time.

"The strange thing is in the summer break is that I always have to tell the players they need to have more holidays because they constantly want to be in immediately, but they cannot do it," Klopp told Liverpool's official website.

"It's not allowed they have two weeks off and then they start the English Premier League season, which is really long and demanding. Xherdan was in yesterday, which was nice. He is a nice fella. He will be back in the USA. Hopefully he will now take a holiday there because it will be pretty easy to join us there.

"He will not come with us [from Liverpool] but he can be involved, which will be nice. Then he will have enough time and the training camp in France to prepare."

Roberto Firmino will miss the games against Borussia Dortmund, Manchester City and Manchester United, however, as will Simon Mignolet and Dejan Lovren.