Liverpool new boy Xherdan Shaqiri has been slammed by former Stoke City team-mate Charlie Adam, who says the Swiss winger went missing for the Potters last season as they were relegated from the Premier League.
The Reds confirmed the signing of the 26-year-old Switzerland international forward last week in a £13million deal.
He arrives at Anfield having scored 15 goals in 84 league appearances during his three-year stay at Stoke, following spells at Bayern Munich and Inter Milan.
It’s seen as a decent signing for the Reds and one which boosts Jurgen Klopp’s attacking options, but former Liverpool midfielder Adam has blasted Shaqiri’s indiscipline.
He says the Swiss star was one of the ‘so-called big players’ who ‘got away with murder’ at the Bet365 Stadium last season – as they didn’t perform at their best when the club needed them.
Speaking on Thursday’s Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast, the Adam said: “Was he one of them? Oh, definitely.
“When the chips are down you look at your big players, you want your big players to bring magic in one moment in the season, and it times we felt like the so-called big players in the squad never turned up for us and never performed.
“Yeah, everybody else could help, but for all the plaudits to so-called bigger players we getting from certain members of the management staff last season – they weren’t producing.
“But, listen, he’s gone now. We move on and we look to the future. The future for us at the moment is in the Championship.”
Sports Breakfast guest co-host Simon Jordan was also not impressed by Shaqiri during Stoke’s disastrous campaign.
Adam added that Stoke, under new manager Gary Rowett, are determined to seal an immediate return to the top flight this season.
The Potters finished 19th place in the Premier League last season – with a defeat to Crystal Palace in their penultimate game of the season confirming their relegation.
But the Scot is hopeful he can help lead the club to the Championship title.
“Our aim is to win the league,” he added.
“We’re expected to win it, simple as that. As one of the teams to be relegated from the Premier League, we’ll be big favourites.
“We’ve only lost Shaqiri from last season, so we’ll look on paper as one of the best teams, but if we don’t apply ourselves it will be a tough and a long season for everybody.
“We need to start well and no tougher place than Leeds United on the first day of the season.”
