Monday, November 22, 2010

Benitez Attempts To Scupper Liverpool Move For Teenage Sensation

Inter Milan are in talks with Swiss sensation Xherdan Shaqiri, according to reports.

Italian sources are quoted in a report from German website 4-4-2 suggesting that Inter are prepared to pay 7 million euros for the 18-year-old Liverpool target.

Shaqiri's stock rose considerably after he scored a stunning goal for Switzerland in their 3-1 Euro 2012 qualification defeat against England in September.

The Basel winger has since been linked with a move to a £2 million January move to Anfield, with Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson allegedly a key player in any potential deal.

Hodgson, 63, was the Switzerland national coach between 1992 and 1995 and is understood to still retain potentially influential contacts in the country's footballing hierarchy as he pursues the highly sought after Shaqiri.

A deal for Shaqiri would represent a coup for new Liverpool owners NESV and Hodgson who are want the Reds to be competing with the top clubs in Europe once again.

Hodgson commented recently that it is the vision of himself and John Henry that Liverpool will be competing for players with the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona - and Shaqiri would certainly fall into that bracket.

The Liverpool manager said: "We want to be attracting the players that Barcelona, Real Madrid and Inter are chasing. It would be nice to think that we can shop at a high level."

Liverpool have been linked with moves for an array of young talents including Israeli starlet Omri Altman and Shaqiri’s teammate Valentin Stocker in what is sure to be a busy January at Anfield.

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