Xherdan Shaqiri completes emotional transfer after post-Liverpool struggles

Former Liverpool winger Xherdan Shaqiri has re-joined Basel , his boyhood team.

Shaqiri, 32, has signed a three-year contract with the Swiss outfit following a difficult time at club level. The Switzerland international made 63 appearances during his three-year spell with Liverpool - winning the Premier League title, Champions League , European Super Cup, and Club World Cup - before joining Lyon in August 2021.

Shaqiri played just 16 times for the French team before a switch to Major League Soccer, joining Chicago Fire. Although he featured 75 times in the United States, he failed to live up to his billing and left Chicago earlier this week.

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That mutual exit paved the way for Shaqiri to re-sign for Basel, where he started his career. The winger won five trophies during his first spell in Switzerland - including three league titles - and will be hoping to reignite his career on home soil.

"It fills me with pride and I am very happy that I can return to my hometown of FCB (Basel) today," said Shaqiri. "I have had a deep connection with the club and the region since I was a child, as a fan and of course as a player.

"I completed my football training in Basel and was then able to launch my international career. Now I want to attack again with FCB and I can hardly wait to see our fans again in the Joggeli (the nickname for Basel's stadium, St Jakob-Park)."

Shaqiri has also played for Bayern Munich, Inter Milan, and Stoke City during his 496-game club career. He was mostly a squad player during his time on Merseyside, playing a supporting role in Jurgen Klopp's star-studded roster.

Although he's won 18 trophies at club level, Shaqiri is perhaps best known for his international career. He scored in six major international tournaments for Switzerland - including in three World Cups - before retiring after Euro 2024 this summer.