Swiss winger shrugs off criticism from the Neville brothers and former teammate Charlie Adam and says his ‘conscience is clear’ and he wanted to move to Anfield four years ago

Recrimination often accompanies relegation and perhaps that is why, of all the high‑profile signings at Liverpool this summer, it is only Xherdan Shaqiri’s that has been questioned. The Switzerland international arrives at Anfield having been labelled unprofessional and a disgrace by Gary and Phil Neville respectively for his part in Stoke City’s exit from the Premier League and with a former teammate, Charlie Adam, having accused him of not performing when necessary. Shaqiri smiles at the insults before delivering a convincing retort.

“They were Man United players. Maybe they don’t like Liverpool!” he says of the Neville brothers’ criticism. “I don’t know, it could be that. Some people like you, some people don’t like you. I don’t want to comment on what is said by people I don’t know. I think my stats speak for themselves. I was the top scorer in the team with goals and assists last season so I don’t have to say any more. My conscience is clear. I think everybody knows that [I was the best player].”

Shaqiri scored eight league goals and produced seven assists last season as Stoke’s ten-year stay in the Premier League came to an end. A decent return in the circumstances. Adam, the former Liverpool midfielder, was outspoken in blaming the club’s “so-called big players” who “never turned up for us and never performed” for relegation and confirmed the 26-year-old belonged to that category.

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Jürgen Klopp evidently took a different view of a player he first admired at Basel, where one Mohamed Salah was bought to replace Shaqiri before his move to Bayern Munich in 2012. Capitalising on a release clause in the winger’s Stoke contract, Liverpool acquired an established Premier League and international talent for £13m after the World Cup. For Shaqiri, who interrupted a holiday to complete the transfer at Melwood, the move fulfils a desire he has harboured since 2014.

“I am really happy to be here finally,” says Shaqiri, who joined his new teammates for the first time in New Jersey on Tuesday. “Everybody knows that a few years ago I wanted to come here but it didn’t work out because Bayern blocked the move. I spoke to Brendan [Rodgers] at that time before the World Cup. He called me and I was interested. We had many discussions at the time in Germany with the club because I wanted to come here. They blocked it. They said: ‘We want you to be here, you are important for us.’

“They didn’t want to sell me at that time. Then the following January I signed for Inter Milan. Of course I was disappointed not to sign for Liverpool but my brother is my agent and since then he has always been in contact with the sporting director here [Michael Edwards]. Finally I am a Liverpool player.”

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Shaqiri prospered out left and right for Stoke and his versatility was a factor in Klopp’s decision to increase his options with the powerful winger. In Salah and Sadio Mané he faces fierce competition to become a regular starter for Liverpool but, despite growing frustrated when placed in a similar position at Bayern and Internazionale, the new arrival is undeterred.

“Football is like this,” he explains. “You have competition all over the world, not only in football, in normal life too. Everyone fights for his place but, in the end, we have many games to play and everybody is going to play games. We want to be successful as a team and that is the most important thing to win titles here. Not just one player can win titles. I’m here to be successful with my team.

“Every player wants to play on the biggest stages in football. I have played for big teams. I know what it takes. I won many titles with Bayern Munich so I know how it is to be on the big stage. I am really happy to have this opportunity. You can see with the transfers that we want to go forward. We want to achieve something and win titles. First of all we want to play good football and that is the most important thing. Liverpool were very close to winning titles last season. I hope this season we can go through and improve the small things that we need. I hope that we can get it this year.”

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Shaqiri signed following what can be confidently called an eventful World Cup campaign for Switzerland. After scoring a late winner against Serbia the winger, a Kosovan-Albanian, celebrated by making the eagle symbol of Albania with his hands, earning a £7,600 fine by Fifa for a political gesture. “It was a very emotional game for everybody, that’s all I can say,” he carefully reflects.

Signing for Klopp has clearly enthused Shaqiri who, after last season’s travails with Stoke, was determined to make a fresh start at the top level of the Premier League. “I have admired Jürgen Klopp for a long time because his teams play fantastic football and he is a fantastic person. It is important for me to work with him and with people who communicate well with good character. I have only just started with my first training session today but I didn’t have a long holiday so I didn’t lose too much. Maybe I can train for the next few days and hopefully play against Man United on Saturday.”