Liverpool agree £9.5m Xherdan Shaqiri transfer as Kaide Gordon plan emerges

Liverpool have agreed a £9.5million deal to sell Xherdan Shaqiri to Lyon - and are now ready to fast-track Kaide Gordon into the first team.

The Reds have thrashed out a deal with the French side having rejected their initial offer of around £4m, with the player now given permission to undergo a medical having already agreed personal terms.

Liverpool had wanted to recoup as much as possible of the £13m they splashed out to take Shaqiri from Stoke City in the summer of 2018.

And they have now reached an agreement with Lyon after the player had made clear to Jurgen Klopp his desire to depart in pursuit of regular first-team football.

Shaqiri has started only 10 games for the Reds in the past two seasons, and made a total of 63 appearances while scoring eight goals and contributing nine assists.

The Switzerland international, whose stock rose considerably during Euro 2020, was close to a departure last summer before changing his mind and opting to fight for his place at Anfield.

However, it is understood Liverpool have subsequently been planning for Shaqiri's departure with the promotion of Harvey Elliott to the first-team squad, having spent last season on loan at Championship side Blackburn Rovers.