Xherdan Shaqiri Slammed by Stefan Effenberg for Picking Stoke over Schalke

Former Bayern Munich midfielder Stefan Effenberg has launched an impassioned attack on the club’s former midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri after the player’s move from Internazionale to Stoke City was finalised.

The ex-Bayern man joined the Potters just months on from his January deal to the Nerazzurri despite reported interest from Bundesliga side Schalke 04, per Joshua Hayward of Eurosport. But as noted in the aforementioned piece, Effenberg, speaking with Sky, slammed the decision:

"

You have to ask yourself where you can reach your sporting goals as a footballer. That should be the challenge. Schalke would have been perfect for Shaqiri.

Earning €1 million (£710,000) more or less should be irrelevant. When you can make €6 million (£4.2m) at Stoke or €3m (£2.1m) at Schalke, you pick the latter. You play Bundesliga football in a great stadium, get your desired return to Germany and play for a great club that you can help move forward.

But Stoke? Come on, I cannot understand the player, his agent, his parents or his brother. This is a shame and a sad state of affairs. Only because they are throwing around cash? Is it really all about money for footballers these days?

"

Christof Stache/Associated Press

Shaqiri signed for Bayern in 2012 with the world at his feet. His bustling running style, dynamic dribbling and thunderous left foot gave a glimpse into some stellar early potential. But unable to oust the likes of Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery, his stock deteriorated, and a move to Inter last January did little to enrich his faded reputation.

As we can see here, courtesy of OptaPaolo, he was a major creative influence for the San Siro outfit:

Maybe Effenberg is doing the Potters a disservice. After all, despite their humble reputation, Stoke have made significant strides under manager Mark Hughes. As noted by BBC Sport’s Dan Walker, Shaqiri joins a team that has plenty of pedigree:

Stoke play a brand of attacking football under Hughes of which you suspect Shaqiri will be a key part. With a solid defence in situ, as well as a workmanlike midfield, the platform is there for the Swiss international to show his talents in the most high-profile league in world football.

Felipe Dana/Associated Press

As noted by former England international Gary Lineker, the Potters are working hard to change the reputation of the club:

There’s no denying Shaqiri will see this move as a stepping stone to get back to an elite team, but to brand his decision to go to Stoke as a “sad state of affairs” is a little harsh on the Potters. After all, for all the hype surrounding the player, there didn’t seem to be many other teams keen on taking the 23-year-old off Inter’s hands.

It’s up to the player to prove something still burns in him. Stoke are going places, and if Shaqiri can produce his best form, he’ll help expedite that process. But should he show all the hallmark signs of a player happy to pick up a bloated wage packet, as Effenberg fears, the path back to the top of the game will be a long one for this once-prodigious talent.