Everton looking to snap up Swiss star after Stoke deal falls flat
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Having ended speculation over Kevin Mirallas’ future on the eve of the new season, Everton could be closing in on securing the services of another attacking player.
The Daily Star place the Toffees in pole position to sign Xherdan Shaqiri on loan from Inter Milan, after the unsettled Swiss forward rejected a £12m permanent move to Stoke.
The former Bayern Munich man still wants out of the Serie A club though and having identified a number 10 type as one of three possible signings he still wishes to make this summer, Roberto Martinez is hoping to succeed where Stoke failed.
Martinez has earmarked a new striker and central defender as priorities too, but signing the long-term target of rivals Liverpool, even on a temporary basis would be a great start.
Shaqiri, 23, scored 11 times in 52 Bayern appearances but was often restricted to cameos from teh bench at the Allianz Arena so he pushed for a move in January, when a number of Premier League clubs expressed interest.
However, despite signing a four-and-a-half year deal with Inter, things have not panned out so well for the attacking midfielder whose wonder striker for Switzerland last summer was one of the picks from Brazil.
Martinez and Everton will be hoping to reinvigorate his career at Goodison as the Spaniard sets about shaping a squad capable of drastically improving on last season’s poor domestic showing.
Without the distraction of Europe in 2015/16 that job becomes slightly easier and a 1/3-rated top-half finish is the least fans will expect come May.
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