After their relegation to the Championship was confirmed following a 2-1 defeat to Crystal Palace, several Newcastle fans have called for the club to snap up Stoke City winger Xherdan Shaqiri this summer.
The Swiss international has been by far and away their best attacker this season, with 8 goals and 6 assists in the league, however even a player of his ability hasn’t been able to save them.
Here’s what some NUFC fans have had to say on social media after Stoke’s fate was confirmed on Saturday, urging Rafa Benitez to make a move for the 26-year-old:
Now that Stoke City are relegated, Shaqiri will hardly be staying. Would take him at Newcastle in a heartbeat!
— Ricky S (@ricky83s) May 5, 2018
Stoke first team to be relegated, if Shaqiri could move to Newcastle that would be lovely.
— Mark Holley (@redwiing) May 5, 2018
Would love for us to go in for Shaqiri.
— CompleteNUFC (@CompleteNUFC) May 5, 2018
Shaqiri to the Toon, make it happen #NUFC
— Alastair Semmence (@AliSemmence) May 5, 2018
The ex-Bayern Munich man is an undoubted talent, being capable of bringing the sort of quality and spark our team sorely lacks, however I really don’t see him ending up at Newcastle this summer.
He will demand a hefty fee and have plenty of suitors, but perhaps the biggest issue for Benitez would be his attitude. He’s not a hard worker and has sulked for the vast majority of Stoke’s season. He may have given them the lead on Saturday with a stunning free-kick, but he came out and said ‘this wasn’t what he signed for’ in the days leading up to the game.
If Rafa could get him whipped into shape and working for the team then he’d be one hell of a signing, but I don’t think he’s the sort of character Benitez will be wanting in his squad – not forgetting the fact he’d probably cost more than we’d be willing to pay.
On the face of it he’d seem like a brilliant signing, but I just don’t see him being a ‘Benitez player’:
Seeing a few NUFC fans wanting Shaqiri from Stoke in the summer. Considering Bayern Munich didn't want him, he then joined Inter where he again flattered to decieve & then joined Stoke & eventually got relegated. He's not a team player & Rafa will know that #NUFC
— Lee Embleton (@embleton01) May 6, 2018
