Xherdan Shaqiri out of Liverpool Pre-Season with Muscle Tear

A calf tear suffered on international duty means Shaqiri starts pre-season on the sidelines.

Liverpool’s pre-season kicked off over the weekend and players whose summer breaks were delayed due to international duty continue to arrive, with Divock Origi joining up yesterday and Dejan Lovren back in training as of today.

At least one player who had returned to Melwood, though, won’t be taking part in preparations just yet, as word is Xherdan Shaqiri is being treated for a calf muscle tear suffered with the Swiss national team over the summer.

“Shaq is still injured from the national team and it will take a while until he is in again,” manager Jürgen Klopp told the club’s official website today. “He has a tear in his calf, so he will not be involved for a while.”

Shaqiri had limped off the pitch in Switzerland’s Nations League tie with England on June 9th and reports of a minor muscle tear had followed, but with the player returning yesterday the hope had been that he was ready to go.

That clearly is not the case, though, and with the player not expected to be ready imminently it leaves Klopp short of forward options with Robert Firmino, Mohamed Salah, and Sadio Mané not back for another two to three weeks.

In the meantime, it will be a chance for Divock Origi and Rhian Brewster to take centre stage amongst Liverpool’s attackers—and for players like Harry Wilson, Ryan Kent, and Ben Woodburn to perhaps impress the boss.

Source: liverpooloffside.sbnation.com