Why Manchester United have to compete with Liverpool for this £18m ace:

For the last year or so Liverpool have been strongly linked to Bayern Munich’s high-quality winger, Xherdan Shaqiri. Unfortunately, for one reason or another a move has never materialised.

The Reds looked close in the summer, but Brendan Rodgers opted to sign Lazar Markovic. It’s a decision that may have more utility in the long-term, but in the here and now, it’s beginning to look like a mistake.

Xherdan Shaqiri strikes me as a player who’s not a million miles away from being a world beater. Yes, he’s not on the same level as players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi or yes, Luis Suarez, but he’s only a tier or so below them.

If he were given a proper run of games at the Allianz Arena, I’m sure that he’d prove worthy. After all, he’s only 23-years-old, but he’s already developed an excellent reputation.

In 77 appearances playing down the flanks for Bayern Munich, he’s managed to find the back of the net 17 times. This combined with his pace and his intelligence in the final third makes him an excellent asset. If the Germans aren’t using him, perhaps an English side will?

This brings me to The Express‘s claim that Manchester United are set to beat Liverpool to Xherdan Shaqiri with an £18m bid during the January transfer window.

Perhaps Brendan Rodgers has finally decided to give up on the Swiss ace? Either way, it looks like Manchester United have played the long-game with this one and are due to reap the rewards.

Manchester United used to be remarkably strong down the flanks, but beyond Angel Di Maria (whose form isn’t all that great at the moment), there’s not a lot of reliable talent in this part of the pitch. Nani’s been loaned out, Antonio Valencia is producing diminished returns and Ashley Young is, well, he’s Ashley Young.

A player like Xherdan Shaqiri could make all the difference for Manchester United. No wonder they’re getting ready to beat The Red Devils to the punch once again.

What’s your take? Is Louis Van Gaal right to compete with Liverpool for the ‘Alpine Messi’?

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