Honorary Bayern Munich President Franz Beckenbauer informed the media that midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri can go to another club in January because the German giants only want players who want to stay with the Bundesliga champions.
Rumors have been mounting for weeks regarding the out-of-favor midfielder after the player told the Swiss German-language tabloid Blick that he wanted to leave Bayern during the summer.
“I wanted to leave last summer,” Shaqiri said. “But the club made its decision and I had to accept that.”
“I thought after the World Cup it would have been better for me to try something new, I thought of moving and there were several inquiries. But Bayern decided I had to stay and I couldn’t much else.”
“Everyone knows though, that I want to play more. I’ll talk with Bayern again, and we’ll sit down and talk over the winter.”
With the January window getting closer, it appears the club are ready to let the Swiss international join another club.
Today, Beckenbauer told the German channel Sport1that the Bundesliga champions are prepared to let the 23-year-old midfielder leave the Allianz Arena.
“Bayern have already sent out a signal and indicated to him [Shaqiri] that he can probably go into the winter break, when he wants,” said the club president. “I think it’s a shame because he is a great talent.”
“Personally, I want players who want to stay here with us, for me if a player doesn’t want to be here then it’s right he go to another club.”
Shaqiri has been linked to a host of European clubs. Liverpool, Juventus, AS Roma and Napoli are just a few of the teams that have been rumored to be interested in securing his signature.
On Monday, the midfielder’s agent Ulysses Savini told the Italian station Radio CRC that he had been in contact with Napoli over a proposed January loan move, but German giants are only willing to negotiate a permanent deal for his client.
Shaqiri came on to replace Robert Lewandowski in the 84th minute of Bayern’s 3-2 Champions League defeat to Manchester City last night. Last Saturday, he was an unused substitute during the club’s 4-0 win over Hoffenheim.
This season, the Swiss midfielder has started one Bundesliga match while making eight appearances for the German champions.
