Xherdan Shaqiri: “Stoke players are not on my level”
The Stoke City playmaker slammed the team in a recent interview. Shaqiri suggests even Ronaldinho cannot save the Premier League side.
In an interview with Swiss magazine Sport, Xherdan Shaqiri criticized his teammates. The Switzerland international made a lot of harsh criticisms about the club. Shaqiri stated that the team lacks the quality to stay up this season.
Shaqiri admits that he absented himself from Switzerland’s recent fixtures to focus on Stoke City’s relegation battle. The playmaker said that he could not carry the team by himself this season. He expects his teammates to aid the club’s relegation battle.
Speaking to Swiss media, translated by the Stoke Sentinel, Shaqiri said:
"“The feeling that even a Ronaldinho could do little in this team is sobering. I had to realise that it’s a bit different when you have players like Ribéry and Thiago at Bayern or Icardi and Kovacic at Inter. Here at Stoke I can not exert too much influence, simply because there is a lack of quality around me.“"
Shaqiri is justified to complain about the teams shortcomings this season. The winger has scored more goals than any other Stoke City player this season.
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However, his recent comments may change the atmosphere in the dressing room. There are rumors that the 26-year-old wants to leave the Premier League club. Shaqiri’s contract is up in 2020 and several clubs have been linked with moves for the Stoke City talisman. Marko Arnautovic also left the bet365 Stadium because of this same issue.
"“I can not just down tools but it would take something extreme for Stoke in the transfer market this summer to revive my enthusiasm.“"
From these comments, it looks like Stoke City will need significant investments this summer to convince the former Bayern Munich and Inter Milan winger to stay at the bet365 Stadium this summer. This of course depends on whether or not the Potters will even be in the Premier League next season.
They are currently 19th in the table, comfortably ahead of 20th place West Bromwich Albion and only three points away from 17th place Crystal Palace. It is safe to assume that Shaqiri will be on his way out of the club regardless of what happens in their final six games but it is a guarantee that a player of his renown will refuse to play in the English second division.
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So if the Stoke City board have any ideas about rebuilding their squad around the diminutive Swiss dynamo, they will have to survive a brutal relegation scrap.