In many ways, Roberto Mancini seemed to have lost touch. Upon his return to the Nerrazzuri in mid-November, the 50-year-old acted as if the post-Mourinho hardships had never happened. Inter, he claimed, were still a top European club and for that they could attract the continent’s best talent was taken as read.

Inter, after all, are one of the most iconic clubs in Europe with 18 Serie A titles, three Champions League crowns and a host of other domestic and intercontinental honours. However, recent struggles meant Mancio’s optimism seemed rather unrealistic - that is until Xherdan Shaqiri joined the club.

Not since Wesley Sneijder has a player mustered so much popularity within the club. So much so that supporters gathered in their thousands and made their way to the airport to greet the new signing. For a League, and club, that had lost its appeal to the wider public, Shaqiri’s agreement to join the club on a loan deal before signing on for another five years, was quite a coup.

The 23-year-old’s first few months were indeed promising. With legends such as Oliver Bierhoff claiming that he had everything to become a fan favourite, Shaqiri got off to a perfect start by scoring on his debut, combining with fellow new recruit Lukas Podolski to eliminate Sampdoria from the Coppa Italia.

By February, Inter’s faithful came flocking back to San Siro, as their attendances almost doubled, not to mention the fact that Shaqiri was, perhaps, the Nerrazzuri’s best player throughout the month as he contributed in every facet possible, in particular setting alight the Europa League. So much so, that club legend Javier Zanetti compared the Swiss to Sneijder for his ability to spark the team to life.

With Shaqiri averaging a goal every 292 minutes of play, and creating a chance every 35 minutes of it, the attacker was prolific. Indeed, his speed, fleet-footedness, technique and close control gave the side more width, and Mancini more options upfront.

That though, was short-lived. As the goals dried up, so too did the media’s affection towards him. For Mancini to rely on a player who had missed 25 days of training during the Bundesliga’s winter break to carry the side into final stages of the season was unrealistic. “Shaqiri did not convince,” Mancini claimed back in April against Parma, and his performance, which earned him a rating of 4.5 from Gazzetta dello Sport, essentially sealed his fate.

Many will claim that Shaqiri was too one-dimensional for Serie A. But to heap all the blame on the youngster seems unfair. Indeed, his signing seemed rash in the first instance without any serious consideration of how he might line-up alongside stars the likes of Mauro Icardi and Mateo Kovacic. Not to mention the fact that Mancini had been unable to fully implement his own philosophy into a side in which managerial instability saw a club perform with no real system and no underlying philosophy.

So to suggest that his fall from grace in Italy was of Shaqiri’s doing is, in truth, inaccurate. Undoubtedly, like every other underperforming player in the side, the Swiss starlet needed time.

Instead, he became a guinea pig for Inter’s transfer policy. After a hero’s welcome, the 23-year-old leaves with his reputation hanging in the balance. But the Nerrazzuri’s loss could be Stoke’s gain.

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