When Xherdan Shaqiri retires, he will be able to look back on his career with pride, having played for some of Europe’s top teams, including Bayern Munich, Inter Milan, and Liverpool.
Stoke City, presently in the Championship, signed the ex-Switzerland international for £12 million in the summer of 2015.
There was a lot of anticipation surrounding the winger when he originally made the transfer, with his three prior clubs being among the biggest in their respective countries, after he began his career at FC Basel, the club he is now back with.
Shaqiri joined Stoke to recover confidence in the Premier League after a rough few years. He experienced ups and downs during his three-season stay.
Shaqiri’s injury struggles plagued his time at Stoke
During his first season in red and white, the 23-year-old struggled to score goals. However, he failed to stay with the club for extended periods of time, and while appearing 27 times, he only played seven games in a row.
His first goals for the club came against Everton, where he scored twice in a thrilling 4-3 victory at Goodison Park, just days after helping his team defeat Manchester United 2-0 at the bet365 Stadium on Boxing Day.
He added one more goal before the season ended, scoring the winner against Newcastle United in a tight 1-0 triumph. The Potters finished ninth in the Premier League for the third year in a row, and Shaqiri was hoping to play a larger role in 2016/17.
Despite his desires, his second season with Stoke proved even more challenging. Mark Hughes, the winger’s manager, admitted that the player was prone to injuries after he developed a calf issue.
Shaqiri’s major issue throughout his time in Staffordshire was his inability to stay healthy, which made consistency difficult, and he was failing to live up to the sum that was paid for his services.
Shaqiri’s last season at Stoke was his best despite relegation
The 2017/18 season proved to be the current Basel star’s final at the bet365 Stadium, and he saved the best for last, maintaining his fitness throughout.
Shaqiri also became more active in the Premier League, scoring eight goals and assisting seven times.
The Potters appeared to be on track for a mid-table finish, but a decline near the end of the year landed them in a relegation scrap that few expected.In 2018, Stoke won only twice in the Premier League, against Huddersfield Town in January and Swansea City on the season’s last day.
| Xherdan Shaqiri Stoke City Stats by Season (TransferMarkt) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Apps | Goals | Assists |
| 2015/16 | 32 | 3 | 6 |
| 2016/17 | 22 | 4 | 2 |
| 2017/18 | 38 | 8 | 7 |
During that period, Shaqiri scored four goals and assisted twice, but he was unable to improve the team’s slump as they were demoted to the Championship.
Stoke agreed to sell winger Xherdan Shaqiri to Liverpool for £13 million later in the summer, giving him a new club to play for as the Potters’ decline worsened.
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